Inukouken
by TetsuyaDL
Summary: Higurashi Suyo did his best to live a normal life, even if he himself was not normal at all. Now he must choose between the life he once had, and the life offered to him. A speculatation on the future of the Inuyasha world.
1. Chapter 1

Inukouken – Ch 1

By TetsuyaDL

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and related characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc., Bandai and Viz Communications. I do not claim ownership over these characters, only over the story and original characters that are of my own creation. Please do not copy or use them without my permission. Thank you.

Rated PG-13 for strong language and violence (as the anime itself would be as well)

Misc Notes: _Italics_ indicate a character's thoughts. **-WORDS LIKE THIS-** are onomatopoeias that indicate sounds, like sound effects that one might see in a manga.

----

The moon hung ominously in the night sky as a young boy studied fretfully at his desk below. His short, messy, black hair did little to obscure the brown eyes, wrinkled forehead, and sharp nose that made up the face of a frantic seventeen year old Japanese schoolboy who had a great deal of studying left to go in preparation for the next day's test.

The moonlight reached lazily down over his shoulder, illuminating a framed picture on the shelf behind him. In the picture, a mirror image of the boy at the desk sat uncomfortably in a rigid chair. His grandmother and uncle stood behind him, their hands resting protectively on his shoulders. The photo image boy wore a clean, ironed suit and had neatly combed hair; a striking difference to the slob studying past midnight.

A long, white, canine tooth hung over the desk from a cord around the boy's neck, and he idly gripped it as he scribbled in his notebook, rolling the fang between his fingers as the product of an age-old habit. Stifling a yawn, the boy forced his gaze back on the pages of his textbook, muttering to himself. Cramming late at night was one of his least favorite pastimes, but tomorrow's grueling test wasn't going to wait while he found a more convenient time to study.

"The half angle identity of the sine of two theta is… 1 plus cosine? Or was it minus? Hmm…" It was becoming hard to focus. The numbers and diagrams seemed to blur together despite his attempts to stay on task. The boy's eyes drooped…

----

"Suyo…"

Drifting… drifting alone… yet it felt so safe… warm…

"Suyo..."

A voice, coming from everywhere and from nowhere.

"Suyo…"

A familiar voice, yet one that he had never heard. Or had he? He searched around him, trying to find the source of the indefinite voice.

"What…. What is this? Who… are you?"

"You know… Suyo…"

"What? Who's there?"

"Suyo... remember..."

"Where am I? What is this? Who?"

"Remember… remember, Suyo…"

"Remember? What, remember what?"

"Suyo, remember yourself… you're... you're going to be late... you're going to be late for school!"

Suyo woke up with a start to the sound of his grandmother banging on the door.

"Are you awake in there? It's time to get up, Suyo!"

Suyo raised his groggy head and realized that he had fallen asleep during his studies, which would not bode well for his math test. "I'm awake, I'm awake!" he answered. Still disoriented by his rude awakening, Suyo shuffled over to the window and opened it to get some air. He rubbed at his sleep-laden eyes as he leaned on the windowsill. Gazing outside at the aged Goshinboku, in the dim morning light, he shook his head, trying to shake off the eerie feeling of that strange dream. Although it wasn't real, it had felt as though he had been talking to a real, live person. A jaw-stretching yawn interrupted his thoughts, bringing him back to the present.

"This will be the fifth test that I've bombed," he muttered, "Obaasan's gonna kill me. Why did I have to go and doze off again? Damn it!" Suddenly experiencing an intense need to vent some rage, he grabbed the nearest object and threw it out the window with all his might.

**-CRASH-**

His desk lamp smashed against the side of the Goshinboku a fair distance away, spraying glass and metal debris all over the ground and leaving a sizable dent in the tree.

Suyo blinked. He hadn't meant to do that. Especially not to the sacred tree. "Shit… I did it again…"

Suddenly, a movement in the shadows behind the massive tree caught Suyo's eye. Something was there. As though realizing that it had been spotted, the shadowy figure quickly jumped away and disappeared into the bushes. It had happened so quickly that Suyo wondered if his still half-asleep brain was playing tricks on him.

A glance at his desk clock quickly scattered any thoughts of shadows and dreams. "What? I'm so late! Damn it all!"

The distressed schoolboy frantically managed to get dressed, grab his books, and run out the door in record time.

"Bye, Obaasan! Itekimasu!" he called out as he protectively tucked the fang necklace inside his uniform shirt.

He quickly dashed out the front door, to come to a screeching halt in front of his grandmother who was blocking the way with a very irate expression on her face.

"Suyo, would you care to explain why the sacred Goshinboku now has a horrible scar, and your furniture is in ruins beside it?"

Suyo froze. _Shit… I'm in for it this time…_ "Well, I was… up late studying… and I wasn't really thinking straight and…"

"No excuses!" his grandmother snapped, with a reprimand fury that would put even Suyo's earlier tantrum to shame. "This is the third time this month you've broken something! And the sacred Goshinboku, the hallmark of our shrine, has been damaged beyond repair! Is there nothing that does not fall prey to that temper of yours?"

Suyo avoided her gaze. "I'm sorry, Obaasan. It was an accident." _Here we go again…_

His grandmother sighed and put her hand to her forehead in resignation. "That's what you say every time, Suyo. You weren't paying attention, you weren't thinking clearly, you didn't mean to do it."

_Well damn, is she keeping a list now?_

"But the fact remains, these things continue to happen! Suyo, if you don't learn to control that temper of yours, you might hurt someone! You know that, don't you?"

Suyo studied a particular pavestone at his feet, ticking off the seconds in his head until the old familiar lecture would end. "Yes, Obaasan. I know." _I don't have time for this, I DON'T have time for this…_

The old lady walked up and put a hand on her grandson's shoulder. "Suyo, I want you to be happy, but I don't want to lose you. Be more careful next time, okay? Now off to school with you, or you'll be late."

Suyo nodded apologetically and ran towards the shrine's steps, turning to wave at his grandmother as she watched him go. "Yes, Obaasan. Itekimasu!" _I am so freaking late now…_

----

"Sorry, I'm in a hurry! Coming through! Out of my way!"

Confused people going about their errands turned to watch the teenage boy charge headlong down the sidewalk, his black school uniform becoming a dark blur as he almost seemed to fly in between strides.

Suyo checked his watch as he ran, the school building now in sight. "Two minutes to go. I can almost make it! I can-"

"Hey, freak!" Four hulking gangsters stood on the sidewalk in front of him, blocking the way. Suyo recognized them from school, although they rarely bothered to attend classes.

Suyo barely managed to screech to a halt before crashing into them. "What do you think you're doing? School's starting, we're going to be late!"

The largest of them, obviously the leader, pointed a long finger at Suyo. "Forget that, freak! I want a rematch for yesterday's fight! You got lucky, and I'm going to teach you a lesson, here and now!"

Suyo sighed. _Damn them, don't they have anything better to do? _Suyo normally wouldn't pass up such a good opportunity to vent some frustration from this morning, but he hadn't been studying all night just to miss the math test.

Suyo stood up straight and looked the leader square in the eye. "You've caught me in a very bad mood right now. You've got three seconds to get out of my way, because I'm going ahead, through you bastards if I have to."

The other boys laughed. "Big words, freak!" the leader snorted. "You might be freakishly strong for a runt like you, but you're not going anywhere until we say so!"

One gangster with a scar on his forehead and a baseball bat in his hand stepped up. "Make it easy for yourself and stay still while I beat you into the ground!" He gripped the bat in both hands and swung at Suyo with all his might.

Suyo shrugged. "Feh. Suit yourself." He charged forward under the baseball bat, ramming the wielder with his shoulder and knocking him over without breaking stride. The other two flunkies lunged at him from either side, but only succeeded in crashing into each other. They landed on top of the first in a confused heap.

The leader, unperterbed by his companions' sudden defeat, collected his resolve and met Suyo's charge with his own. "Die, freak!" he shouted as he aimed a punch as Suyo's face. Suyo caught the punch in his own hand, seized the leader's arm and swung him around in one fluid movement, throwing him fifty feet to land at the school's gates.

"Idiots," Suyo muttered as he unceremoniously trampled the leader's head and cleared the school's gate just before the bell rang. He adjusted the backpack on his shoulder and dusted himself off before slowly walking towards the school building, doing his best to look inconspicuous among all the other students gathered in front of the school building. As he made his way to the entrance, he kept his gaze forward and avoided making eye contact with anyone, acutely conscious of the stressed, hushed whispers behind him. Those in his path abruptly cut off their conversations and timidly drifted out of his way, doing their best to avoid being more than a nameless face in the crowd to the boy whom everyone feared.

Many of them had seen Suyo deal with the bullies down the street, and word had begun spreading before the fight had even ended; those who did not believe the rumors about the mysterious Higurashi were forced to accept them, others affirmed that they had known all along – that Higurashi Suyo was a dangerous character who was prone to maim and destroy at any given moment.

Suyo was used to the oppressive bubble of isolation that seemed to follow him wherever he went. He had possessed unexplained physical strength for as long as he could remember, but it seemed more like a curse than a blessing. He was usually able to keep his temper under control, but the whole world always seemed to notice whenever his restraint lapsed for a second and some flimsy chair or wobbly doorknob met a grisly end. And that power wasn't going to disappear any time soon; if the distance he'd cleared on that last impromptu-judo throw was any indication.

So far, he had managed to keep from hurting anyone accidentally, but to the world around him, he was an unpredictable threat better left untested and unperturbed. His overbearing grandmother and uncle were the only ones he had to talk to on a regular basis, but he never talked to them about his problems. Suyo dealt with it all stoically, pretending to be as normal as possible by focusing on his studies and working around the family shrine. But even if he didn't show it, the isolation wore down on him for every waking moment. Suyo lived a lonely life, known to all but known by none.

As he entered the building, the other students followed behind him to endure another day of the torture known as the public education system.

----

"Suyo…"

"Mrmmnnk… sin over cosine?"

"Hello, Suyo."

"Gmbmm… huh? What?"

"Suyo, it's time."

"Oh great, not this again"

The voice was back again, clearer than ever. Peace and quiet was a commodity that was hard to come by these days…

"It's time for you to learn the truth, Suyo," said the voice.

Well aware that he was dreaming again, Suyo decided that it was time to make his position clear. "Who the hell are you? Look, whoever you are, you're a dream, a figment of my imagination. Go the fuck away!"

"It's time for you to discover who you are…'

"You're a voice in my head. You don't exist. I don't have to listen to this!"

"Why do you fight it Suyo? Don't be afraid of what you truly want… "

"Shut up! I don't need you, or anything! Go away!"

"The choice is yours, Suyo. If you want it…"

"I don't need it!"

"Don't be afraid…"

"I-"

"Don't be afraid…"

The voice seemed to drift away into the endless depths of perception, leaving him all alone again. Left to himself, Suyo pondered what could possibly be wrong with him to cause such weird, not to mention lavishly pronounced, conversations with mysterious voices that visited him in his sleep. Speaking of which, why was he asleep? _Wait a minute…_

"Higurashi, might I ask what you are doing?"

Suyo sat up with a start to find the teacher standing over him. His math teacher. In the middle of the math test… _Oh shit, I did NOT just sleep through my math test.._ "I… I was…"

"I understand your need for rest, but I think that sleep has a rightful time and place, other than that of my classroom. Don't you agree?"

Suyo did his best to remain calm under the amused gaze of his classmates and the irritated one of his teacher. "Yes, Takema-sensei. I'm sorry."

"Sorry won't cut it this time, Higurashi. Go stand in the hallway. And try not to break the door on your way out, please."

Suyo stood up and walked out amid the laughter of his classmates. He closed the door behind him, cutting himself off from those people, they whom did not understand him, nor ever cared to. Those who always became silent and preoccupied in his presence, and joking and insulting behind his back. He knew, even when they thought he couldn't hear them, the things they said about him.

And the fact that he had just slept through his math test didn't fix things. Everything had been going wrong, lately. Everything!

"First Obaasan, then those bastards, now this. Damn it all!"

**-WHAM-**

Suyo looked up in surprise at the unexpected baseball-sized hole that now graced the wall, his fist right in the middle of it.

"Shit… again…"

He could hear startled, excited voices from inside the classroom, eager to find out what had caused the noise. Eager to find out how he, Suyo the dangerous vandal, had messed up this time. He could see the silhouette of his teacher approaching, through the classroom door's window. They would find him any second now…

"No…" he muttered softly.

Takema-sensei poked his head out the doorway to discover the newest change to the school's interior. Knowing who was the most likely cause, he looked up and down the hall, finally spying a running figure turning the corner. A figure with… silver hair…?

----

Suyo ran and ran, without giving a thought to where he was going. Not until the school was far out of sight did he slow down, finally stopping in an abandoned alley in a commercial district of the city. He slumped down on the ground, leaning against the alley wall.

"Damn… why did I run away? Now I've only made things worse… damn it…"

He held up his hands in front of him, studying the strong bones and powerful muscles that made up his hand, the thick knuckles and coiled fingers that made up his fist. The hands that always, ALWAYS got him into trouble, trouble that was forever unwelcome.

"Why can't I get a hold of myself? What's wrong with me? Why only ME!"

The world seemed to grow black and pitiless as his façade wavered and the emotions he kept constantly suppressed began to build up; the sun grew cold and the shadows enveloped him as he sank into despair. For he knew, and had always known, that he could never be normal, no matter how hard he tried to pretend. Even the common respect and companions that normal people had, he did not. And he never would…

Suddenly, a noise at the end of the alleyway snapped him out of his world of self-pity. Someone, a tall person wearing a brown cloak with a large hood concealing its face, was standing there and watching him. Upon realizing that it had been spotted, the figure quickly turned and darted away. Suyo jumped up and ran after the mysterious person without a second thought.

As he raced down the street in pursuit of the cloaked fugitive, passing confused people for the second time that day, Suyo took a moment to examine the situation. _Okay,_ _I see some random guy and I take off after him without even knowing why I do it. I'm so messed up today…_ The sight of the brown cloak flapping backwards in the wind jogged his memory. _That cloak, it's the same one that I saw this morning by the Goshinboku! What the hell?_

The figure was quick. It darted around corners and down alleys faster than Suyo believed possible, yet Suyo always managed to keep up. Suyo was very fast in his own right, but he soon became amazed that he was able to keep up at all. His body felt lighter than it usually did, his legs carrying him faster than they ever had before. Or was it that his quarry did not want to escape at all, but purposefully remained in sight? _Who is that bastard? Is he following me around? Is he leading me somewhere? Should I keep chasing him? _ Suyo doubted briefly. But, curiosity quickly overcame caution, and Suyo continued to race after the mysterious figure.

Soon Suyo's quarry had led them back to the Higurashi Shrine, the place where Suyo first saw the figure behind the tree. Yet, the fugitive did not stop, and ran purposefully into the shed at the back of the shrine, the one housing the old abandoned well. _Ha! I've got him now! There's no back door out of there! I'll catch the bastard and make him tell me who he is! _ Suyo sprinted up the stairs after him. The cloaked figure was now standing by the dusty well, looking frantically for an escape route, hesitant about what to do next. Seizing his chance, Suyo leapt forward and tackled the mysterious character, knocking him off his feet.

Too late, Suyo realized that his assault had been a bit reckless, for both his quarry and himself were now being carried by Suyo's leap straight into the well. In a sudden moment of clarity, Suyo wondered why the well wasn't nailed shut as it had always been…

**-WHAM-**

The rough impact knocked the wind out of the two unfortunate adversaries as they crashed at the bottom of the well in a tangled heap. Fortunately, Suyo had landed on top, sparing him what could have been a serious injury. His quarry was not so lucky.

The other person was holding his head and muttering, and Suyo caught a glimpse of a face within the hood. Not being one to give up the advantage, Suyo pounced on his dazed foe and shook him, inadvertently knocking his cloaked head against the ground in the process.

"You! Who are you? Why were you following me? Answer me!"

The cloaked figure seemed to have recovered somewhat. "I-I-If you le-e-et me-e-e u-u-up, I ju-u-u-ust might te-e-ell you!" it retorted in a high-pitched voice.

Suyo complied and let him up. The foe stood up, dusted himself off, and removed his hood, revealing a young, healthy face with long brown-orange hair drawn into a ponytail, vivid green eyes, and teeth that appeared to be in dire need of straightening. He cheerfully offered a hand tipped with long, pointed nails.

"Hi, I'm Shippou! Pleased to meet you!"

----

Author's Notes: Well, that's chapter 1; hope you're interested enough to continue reading. As this is my first fanfic that has become complete enough to be worthy of posting online, I would appreciate reviews, but I intend to keep writing in any case. Be forewarned that it has taken me an extremely long time to get this far, so any encouragement would go a long way :).

I'd like to thank my brother for helping me develop the story from the original idea, and for coming up with the name "Suyo." Rumiko Takahashi made up the name "Kagome" off the top of her head, so an improvised name seems to be appropriate for the main character of this story. Bits and pieces of later chapters on might actually have been originally written by him.

After much deliberation, I decided to eliminate all uses of Japanese besides names and phrases that cannot be translated. That mostly applies to Suyo's abundant profanity. Just because I'm writing the fanfic doesn't mean I have to break the flow of the story by subjecting you to proof that I can speak twenty-odd words in Japanese.

As for the mysterious cloaked figure offering to shake hands, I know that this would be uncommon in Japan, especially from a youkai who spends most his time in the Sengoku Jidai with next to no western contact, but I liked the image of his clawed hand. I plan on making more effort to stay realistic.

Japanese Dictionary:

Itekimasu – Phrase said upon leaving, literally meaning "I leave and return"

Obaasan – Grandmother


	2. Chapter 2

Inukouken – Ch 2

By TetsuyaDL

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and related characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc., Bandai and Viz Communications. I do not claim ownership over these characters, only over the story and original characters that are of my own creation. Please do not copy or use them without my permission. Thank you.

Rated PG-13 for strong language and violence (as the anime itself would be as well)

Misc Notes: _Italics_ indicate a character's thoughts. **-WORDS LIKE THIS-** are onomatopoeias that indicate sounds, like sound effects that one might see in a manga.

----

Suyo stared at the hand offered to him. "You mean that after hiding outside my window and following me around, all you wanted to do was to introduce yourself?"

The one who had called himself Shippou paused, and then withdrew his hand. "Well, not exactly. First, I had to make you realize who you are, so then you would be willing to come back with me to this time, your past. But, it seems that we've gotten here anyway. Quite a convenient turn of events," he said thoughtfully.

"Huh? My past? What are you talking about?"

Shippou looked at him, surprised. "You mean the dreams didn't work? Damn it, I thought I had those sleep illusions down. And after sending you to sleep so many times!" He kicked the side of the well in frustration.

Now it was Suyo's turn to be surprised. "Dreams? You mean... that recurring dream I've been having? That was YOU?"

Before he knew what had happened, Shippou was lying face down in the dirt and Suyo's fist was aching slightly, but he barely noticed it through his overwhelming rage. "You've been ruining my life! Making me fall asleep in class and when I'm trying to study? Do you know how bad my grades have been lately?"

Suddenly, Suyo's anger was cut short by the unexpected sound of Shippou laughing. "Hahaha! It's true… you are their son." Shippou got up and dusted himself off for the second time that day. "You hit as hard as Inuyasha himself did. And Kagome used to shout about her tests in that exact way." Shippou examined Suyo's face. "No fangs or dog ears though. If it weren't for your eyes..."

Suyo's heart skipped a beat. _Kagome, did he say Kagome? That's my mother's name! She died when I was very young, and now he..._ "but that's impossible!" Suyo yelled suddenly. Suyo grabbed the collar of Shippou's cloak menacingly "Look here, Shippou, I don't know who you are, but there is no way you knew my mother. She died a long time ago. Now you better drop this shit about dreams and time and tell me what the fuck is going on!"

Shippou knocked Suyo's hand away with surprising ease. "All right, you don't believe me? Just look up." Suyo did so, and realized that the roof of the shed was no longer there. Clouds floated lazily in the blue sky. "Come on, we'll take a closer look." Shippou quickly scaled up the numerous vines that were growing along the side of the well. Suyo reluctantly climbed up after him, fearing the worst.

Upon reaching the top, Suyo's suspicions were confirmed. The shed had indeed disappeared, as well as the rest of his family's shrine. The busy, bustling Tokyo that he had lived in for as long as he could remember had been completely replaced by green, peaceful forests in all directions. A village of rural huts sat off in the distance, backed by endless rice fields. The secluded Goshinboku was the only object in view that Suyo recognized.

Suyo slumped against the side of the well. _Okay, something weird is definitely going on, _he thought. Shippou balanced nimbly on the edge of the well as he crouched down to grin at the confused schoolboy. "Well, if you've got any questions, now is the time to ask," he stated cheerfully.

The bangs of Suyo's messy hair hid the look in his eyes as he stared down at the ground and quietly asked, "You knew my mother?"

Shippou laughed jovially from his perch on the well. "Man, aren't you in the dark! Of course I knew your mother! She practically adopted me after my father died, and I roamed the countryside with her and everyone else as we searched for the Shikon shards and hunted down Naraku! Then, we found him..." Shippou suddenly became very quiet.

Suyo stood up and looked Shippou in the eye, who solidly met his gaze. "Tell me everything you know about my mother. I want to know everything."

----

Suyo followed a few steps behind Shippou, ignoring the suspicious glances that the local villagers were giving him. Fortunately, most of them knew who Shippou was, and, trusting that he would make sure the stranger would not cause any trouble, went about their business. Shippou walked with ease and confidence, obviously used to walking this path many times. Having discarded his old robe, Shippou was dressed in loose blue clothing with a brown fur vest, with a dagger on his belt and a comically fluffy fox's tail sticking out from behind him. His outfit posed a ridiculously sharp contrast to Suyo's plain, black, school uniform.

Suyo spoke hesitantly as they left the village common, "So, what you're saying is that twenty years ago, my mother traveled through time to come here, unsealed my father who had been stuck to a tree for fifty years, and after he tried to kill her, she teamed up with him and a bunch of other weirdoes to search the countryside for magic crystals?"

"Jewel shards, not crystals," Shippou corrected.

"Whatever."

"Yep, that sums it up pretty well."

"…Bullshit."

"And I'm not a weirdo." Shippou said as he looked over his shoulder to face Suyo. Suyo met his gaze, then glanced at Shippou's tail.

"…Bullshit."

Shippou sighed and turned off of the main road onto a side path, calling back over his shoulder, "This path leads to Miroku and Sango's place. They're two 'weirdoes' who will be able to explain things more clearly to you. Look, you can make it out from here." Shippou pointed ahead, where the path wound its way up a hill a short distance away from the edge of the farming village. The path ended at the only door of a tall, wooden palisade. Behind the wall, the roof of a house was visible, as well as several smaller huts. As they approached, Suyo could make out a crude wooden tower next to the door, with a lone figure standing guard. The entire complex held a somewhat military atmosphere, illustrating a distinct contrast to the township they'd just passed through; it seemed almost as if the fort was watching over the farmers below.

"Feh." Suyo said dismissively. He turned his gaze to the dirt road in front of him as they began to climb up the hill. _This is all so weird, can it really be true? Especially the part about my father. Did he really live in this time, five-hundred years ago? It's just all too damn unbelievable. I should just turn back, right now. _Suyo looked back over his shoulder at the distant forest, searching for the well hidden behind the trees. Suyo sighed as he turned back to stare at the path again, rubbing his forehead wearily with one hand and studying the fang hanging freely around his neck with the other. He recalled the end of their previous conversation:

"_You don't believe me? Then take a good look at that fang hanging around your neck."_

"_This? It's a wolf's tooth that my uncle gave to me on my birthday."_

"_Nope. It's your father's fang. That's the fang of a hanyou, the son of a powerful inu youkai. It's been sealing the youkai blood flowing in your veins until now. It's power has been wearing thin, so your blood is becoming more difficult to keep under control. You've noticed, haven't you?"_

"_Shut up. It's an ordinary tooth. And nothing's changing; I'm fine, damn it!"_

Suyo sighed again. That's what he had said out loud, but he knew that it was a hopeless lie. He was pretty sure that he had become more compulsive lately, and he definitely knew that the fang he wore was no ordinary tooth. He had worn it for as long as he could remember, and whenever he tried to take it off, he was immediately overwhelmed by a wave of anxiety that persisted until he put it back around his neck. The one time he had asked his grandmother about the unusual trinket, she had merely snapped that it was an old birthday present and refused to say anything more; he'd used that explanation whenever someone at school asked him about it. He didn't want to admit it, but given the evidence, the rest of what Shippou had said seemed to all fit together.

What really scared Suyo wasn't Shippou's conviction about his past, it was how eagerly he wanted to believe the youkai's words; it was like all the answers he had ever sought were now being laid at his feet, all his lifelong questions being answered to the fullest detail. Yet, a part of him stubbornly refused to accept that he was the son of an inhuman being. It kept telling him that this was all insanity, and that he should just run back to the well and return home and forget it all ever happened. And belt Shippou a good one while he was at it.

"Hey, Shippou! Where have you been?" someone called from up ahead. Suyo looked up with a start. A boy a head shorter than Suyo and dressed in close-fitting black clothing with oddly-shaped yellow armor plates was calling to them from his post in the guard tower. He carried a large axe in his right hand, but the weapon didn't appear to be made out of any metal that Suyo was familiar with.

Shippou waved back. "Oh, nowhere. Anything happen while I was gone?" Suyo noticed a distinct hint of uneasiness in Shippou's voice.

"Not much, except someone stole The Shikon shard a week ago, right around the time you left without telling anyone where you were going. I suppose you wouldn't know anything about that, right?"

"Uh, of course not." Shippou's tail twitched suddenly.

"And, there's no need to ask how someone got past the taijiya on guard and into the safehouse which is protected by Miroku's strongest wards?"

"Who knows? Maybe it was a kuromiko. They're sneaky." Shippou's tail twitched again.

The guard boy shrugged. "Perhaps... or perhaps it was an inside job. By someone who was stupid enough to try to weave an illusion that would make it seem like the shard was still there. You see, we found a leaf in place of the shard. A leaf that looked an awful lot like one of the leaves you use to cast your illusions." The boy leaned against the palisade and idly tested the blade of his axe with his thumb.

Shippou cursed under his breath, and then nonchalantly held up his hands, cheerfully admitting defeat. "Okay, you caught me. I admit it; I took the shard. But, before you use that axe of yours to flay me alive, let me first say I had a good reason."

The boy looked down at Shippou, amusement written across his face. "I should hope so, because Chichiue and Hahaue are out for your blood. They've sent everyone old enough to hold a weapon out to look for you. They were afraid that The Shikon shard might fall into the wrong hands." He sighed and shook his head before eying Shippou with a piercing look. "Geez, Shippou, you gave us all a scare. Don't you trust us enough to tell us what you're doing?"

Shippou avoided the boy's gaze. "Yeah, I'm sorry, but it couldn't be helped, really!"

Suyo, already impatient with the lengthy conversation, cleared his throat loudly to remind the others that he was still there.

The young guard's face relaxed again as he glanced at Suyo. "Okay, as long as we're clear on that. By the way, who's your friend? He's dressed kind of strangely..."

Suyo was about to remark that the boy's armor was hardly orthodox, but Shippou spoke first. "This is Suyo, from, uh, out of town. Suyo, meet Kohaku, son of Miroku and Sango, and the best fighter in the village."

Kohaku laughed. "I'm not the best; Mina-oneesan can still beat me without breaking a sweat."

"Once you catch up in height, you'll win every time. Anyway, I brought Suyo here to talk to your parents. Are they home?"

"Yeah, but you better hurry, they're about to leave on business. Nasty bear youkai terrorizing a nearby village, so I heard."

"Heh, that's Miroku and Sango for you, always working."

"Yep. Hold on a sec, I'll get the door for you."

Kohaku disappeared behind the wall, and soon the rustling of metal chains and the clanking of gears could be heard. Soon, the heavy wooden door tilted over on a hinge that ran along the back of the door horizontally, allowing entrance to the pair outside. After Suyo and Shippou passed through the gate, Kohaku pulled a lever, releasing the door to swing closed with a thump. Suyo noted that the door's design would allow it to close quickly in an emergency, but the simple design allowed it to be opened by one person turning a crank on the inside of the palisade. Suyo looked about the complex, amazed at how much could fit inside the simple fort. Numerous people bustled about their unknown business throughout the complex, walking to and from huts sheltered within the safety of the palisade. A larger, wooden house stood in the center of the compound. Suyo saw a young girl who couldn't be more than eight years old carrying a basket containing more of the strange armor plates that he had seen Kohaku wearing.

Kohaku pointed to a large hut near the center of the complex. "They're preparing in there for their trip." He winked at Shippou. "I'll let you find them yourself. I don't want to be there to witness Hahaue's wrath when you get there." With that, Kohaku quickly scaled up the guard tower ladder to resume his watch.

Shippou strode quickly towards the hut as passersby stopped to stare at him or call out forced greetings, asking him where he'd been. The fox youkai waved at them quickly, but didn't slow his pace through the courtyard. Suyo was taken aback at how much colder Shippou's reception was here compared to back in the farming village, but he decided he had better things to worry about, and jogged to catch up with him. "Hey Shippou, what was all that about a stolen Shikon... thing... and some kind of leaf illusion?" he asked as he drew up next to the kitsune.

Shippou laughed nervously. "Uh, don't worry about the Shikon shard. And as for the illusion, it's my genjutsu specialty. All Kitsune can use genjutsu."

Suyo wasn't convinced, but decided not to pry further. "Okay. So I guess there's more to you youkai than fluffy tails and silly clothes."

Shippou twitched his tail angrily as he pushed the hut's straw door aside. "Hey! These clothes are very stylish! All the girls love this look!" He then casually entered the building ahead of Suyo, calling out, "Hey guys, miss me? I'd like you to meet-"

Shippou was suddenly cut off by a muffled growl coming from a shadowy corner of the room. Suyo froze, instinctively standing back by the door.

"DAMN YOU, SHIPPOU! IF I WASN'T SO GLAD TO SEE YOU COME BACK ALIVE, I'D KILL YOU!"

The shout rocked the palisade fortress, and the people who had taken notice of Shippou's entry before suddenly went about their business, satisfied that Shippou was well getting what he deserved.

Suyo blinked at the strange scene in front of him. A woman in her late thirties dressed in the same style of clothing as Kohaku was towering over Shippou while alternating between death threats and concerned questions about his well-being. The unlucky kitsune was cowering before her, the very force of her voice pressing him down to the floor. Having already experienced enough insanity for one day, Suyo decided to stay safely anonymous. Besides, he found the situation almost cruelly satisfying. Shippou's ever-cheerful attitude had been getting on his nerves; maybe this would dampen his spirits for a while.

Just as Suyo started to wonder how long this discourse was going to take, a man dressed in the black and purple robes of a Buddhist houshi walked up and rested a hand on her shoulder, causing the woman to calm down almost instantly. "Now, Sango, I think we should hear Shippou's side of the story before we wring him out. Give him a chance to explain himself, okay?" The woman nodded and reluctantly backed away to stand beside him and slightly behind, her face divided between ire and concern. Suyo mused to himself, _So this is Sango, Kohaku's mother? He sure wasn't kidding about the wrath… and the man must be Miroku? What's with the houshi getup?_

Shippou stood up slowly, looking like he'd just survived a life-and-death struggle. Miroku watched him sternly and said, "Shippou. I trust you have the last shard in your possession?"

Shippou nodded and reached inside his haori to produce a small glass bottle, containing a single shard of pink crystal. He wordlessly handed it to Miroku, who examined it closely before tucking it away in the sleeve of his robe. "Good. Now, would you care to explain your reckless, not to mention dangerous, actions?"

Shippou nodded and turned towards the doorway, beckoning Suyo forward. "First, let me introduce someone." Suyo stepped forward slowly, wondering what he had to do with Shippou's purloined crystal. "This is Suyo. You would know him better as… Inukouken."

An eerie silence filled the room as Sango and Miroku froze. "Did… you say… Inukouken?" the two of them whispered in unison.

Suyo looked around, confused, wondering who this Inukouken guy was, and even more about how anyone could live with such a bizarre name. On the other hand, it seemed on par with all the other crazy people he'd met so far.

Then he noticed that the others had fallen strangely silent. The tension hung so thick in the air that Suyo didn't dare to breathe. And then…

"You're JOKING!"

"No, really, it's him!"

"This better not be another one of your tricks, Shippou!"

"Stop strangling me, just take a look at him!"

"It can't be!"

"But it is!"

"His clothes, they're from another time!"

"It must be him!"

"After all these years!"

Shippou grabbed the fang hanging around Suyo's neck and held it aloft. "And look! It's the fang! What more proof do you need?"

"Gimmie that back, bastard!" Suyo snatched the fang back and tucked it protectively inside his shirt.

The room fell silent again, as everyone stared at him in shock. Suyo stared back uncertainly, attempting to put on a defiant air. "You guys… what the hell are you guys looking at? I… I don't know what's going on with the Shikon thing, or this bastard kitsune, or Inu-whoever! Don't stare at me like some kind of freak! You're the crazy ones, not me!"

Sango raised a hand to her mouth, as though she was somehow hurt, and scared. Shippou and Miroku looked like they'd been accused of murder. Miroku turned to Shippou slowly, his face not showing any emotion. "Shippou… I take it you've brought him here without even telling him who he is?" he said in a measured tone.

"He said some crazy shit about my so-called parents," Suyo interjected, "he said to follow him here if I didn't believe him. So, spill the beans already!"

Miroku closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He then picked up his shakujou and slowly led Suyo towards the door. "Well then, if all you want are words, then we can oblige you. Let's step outside into the fresh air."

"Wait dear, I'll come too…Sango stood up suddenly to follow.

"No Sango, stay here. There's… the bear youkai, it still needs to be taken care of. Take Kohaku with you. He'll enjoy the break from guard duty."

Sango sighed, but she trusted Miroku to handle the situation. He did have a talent for discussing delicate subjects, and it wasn't every day that the long-lost son of your late comrades appeared out of the blue.

Miroku wordlessly led the way out of the hut, and out the gate of the palisade, Suyo following at a distance. Suyo hadn't gotten much attention from the inhabitants of this strange military camp while coming in because everyone was waiting to hear Sango torment Shippou, but now everyone was stopping to watch him pass by as he followed the houshi. Miroku seemed to carry an authoritative air that was felt by everyone nearby, holding himself like the communal leader he was.

They strode down the path, back the way that Suyo had come with Shippou. Neither of them spoke, the jingling rings of Miroku's shakujou and their footsteps providing the only respite from the oppressive silence. Suyo was careful not to follow too closely, still undecided whether he wanted to follow at all. He hadn't meant to explode like that back in the hut; he just felt uncomfortable meeting these strange people in a strange land. Not to mention he was getting really impatient about discovering his past. He was confused, more than anything. Miroku, however, showed little emotion. He seemed to be thinking intensely about something, paying little attention to the road ahead.

Miroku led then through the farming village, and back to the woods. But, instead of heading to the well where this had all started, they turned down a narrow but well-kept path further into the woods. Finally, they reached a small clearing, the Goshinboku at its center.

The houshi stopped at the entrance to the clearing, and turned to face Suyo. "I apologize for my previous reaction, it was uncalled for. And, we haven't been properly introduced. My name is Miroku. I was once a houshi following in Buddha's footsteps, but now I now live a worldly life with my wife, Sango. And you are-

"Suyo," The boy interrupted defiantly.

"Of course. Suyo."

Miroku continued into the clearing, knelt at a stone set at the base of the great tree, and muttered a short prayer. He then turned to face Suyo and said, "This is the grave of your mother and your father."

Suyo stood in silence for a while. Finally, he said quietly, "What… kind of people were they?"

Miroku sat down with his back against the tree, and motioned for Suyo to do the same. "I think the best way to tell you would be to start from the beginning, as Shippou hasn't seemed to tell you anything."

"Well... he did tell me some stuff, like how my mother came here through the well like I did, and how she met my father and they quested… yes, quested for pieces of some Shikon jewel."

"Oh, that's more than I expected. In that case, I'll continue where he left off. Make yourself comfortable, as my tale will be lengthy."

Miroku sat with his base against the great Goshinboku tree, and Suyo sat down on the ground in front of him, unconsciously leaning towards the gravestone beside him.

Miroku cleared his throat, and began solemnly. "When I first met Inuyasha and Kagome-sama, they were already like a couple, although they seemed too stubborn to admit it. They were hunting for the scattered shards of the Shikon no Tama, a sacred jewel that youkai sought for its power. Kagome-sama had shattered the jewel accidentally in battle, so she wished to make up for her oversight. Inuyasha, as a hanyou and the son of a powerful taiyoukai, sought the shards so that he could use the complete jewel to become a full-blooded youkai, like his father. The two of them joined forces out of expediency rather than friendship, but they came to warm to each other soon enough. Shippou joined them when he was just a kit; his father had been slain in a fight over Shikon shards, so he joined them for companionship after they helped him avenge his slain father."

"I was searching for an evil creature called Naraku at the time. When I told them of the monster, Inuyasha immediately decided to hunt for him as well because…"

At this point, Miroku stalled and looked at Suyo carefully, before he continued, "Because Naraku was also collecting Shikon shards, so it was the fastest way to obtain more. Thus, I came to enter the group. Sango joined us as well because she wanted to avenge her murdered taijiya village and family; Naraku had manipulated and killed them to obtain a shard they had found. Thus, the five of us traveled together, hunting for shards of the Shikon no Tama and fighting Naraku wherever we found him."

Miroku paused again. But he picked up again quickly, although now he gripped the beaded rosary around his right wrist as he spoke. "We continued as such for quite a while… three years I believe. Our group became very closely knit… and then Inuyasha finally took Kagome-sama as his mate. They returned through the well to marry in Kagome-sama's time first however; Kagome-sama insisted-"

Suyo interrupted suddenly. "Back? So you CAN go back through the well?" he asked.

Miroku looked at him in surprise. "Yes, of course. But please, let me finish; save your questions for the end." He cleared his throat again.

"At any rate, you were born to them, seventeen years ago. They named you Inukouken, withholding the tradition of Inuyasha's bloodline. Kagome-sama took you back to her time to live safely with her mother until our battle was finished. Soon after that, we fought Naraku for the last time. Naraku had been steadily growing in power, and Kagome-sama had lost the greater part of her powers as a miko upon marrying Inuyasha, but Inuyasha was more than able to fight in her stead. At least, so we thought… we managed to defeat Naraku, but not before Inuyasha was fatally wounded. Kagome-sama tried to protect him from Naraku's shouki, but without her powers…"

Miroku paused and looked at Suyo, who was now sitting with his fists tightly clenched. "Would you like me to stop? We can continue later."

"No. Keep going."

Miroku nodded and continued, "Kagome-sama had two last requests. The first was to bury her and Inuyasha at the base of the Goshinboku, the place where they first met. The second was to travel through the well to her time, and inform her mother of what happened. Of the three of us remaining, it was decided that I was to be the one to-"

"They… they were killed by Naraku?"

"Yes, they died valiantly. You should be proud-"

"And Naraku, Naraku was dead? Is dead?"

Miroku said nothing and stared at Suyo, whose hands were clenched so tightly his knuckles had turned white. Once again gripping the rosary around his wrist, Miroku replied emotionlessly, "Yes. His body was utterly destroyed by Inuyasha's youki attack, and the Shikon no Tama disappeared. He is most assuredly dead."

"THAT'S A LIE!"

Shippou came running frantically down the path, to stop at a screeching halt in front of Miroku and Suyo. "That's a filthy lie, damn you Miroku! A damned filthy lie!"

Miroku stood up to meet him, and quickly led him aside, away from Suyo. He whispered in a voice that trembled with suppressed emotion, "Shippou, you have no right to tell him this. He never asked for it. He only wanted to know how his parents died." He glanced at Suyo, who was staring at his parents' gravestone, but seemed to be looking at something beyond it. "If you tell him this, you're sending him on a dangerous mission. One that could- no, WILL get him killed. I know better than anyone the fear of not knowing each night whether you'll live to see the next sunrise. Suyo doesn't deserve that."

Shippou answered defiantly, "What are you talking about! Naraku killed his parents! Inuyasha and Kagome! It's his right to avenge them as an orphan! We've both lost our fathers to evil youkai, and we both know that we'd never have been able to live with ourselves if we hadn't done everything in our power to avenge them."

"Vengeance is a harsh path. He is better off not knowing, so he does not need to follow it. Once he is finished here, he will return back through the well to his world, and there he will stay, safe and spared of all this."

Shippou spoke again, but more solemnly this time. "You haven't seen him in his world. I have. I watched him for a week, as he went about his life in his "safe" time. He's miserable! He has no friends, he's all alone, and he doesn't fit in. Now he has a chance to understand why he is so different, and to turn that from his shame to his strength. This is what they would have wanted for him, Miroku! Besides, you and Sango have a family to worry about now, and I can't go hunting for Naraku by myself. For the good of the people in this world, we need him."

Miroku sighed. As much as he hated the fact, Shippou was right about that, at least. "All right then," he said quietly. "But try to go easy on him. He's been through a lot today." Shippou nodded in agreement, then turned to talk to Suyo.

"Shippou." Miroku said quietly. Shippou paused, but did not turn around. "This is his choice, and his alone. Understand?" Shippou said nothing, but slowly walked away, over to where Suyo knelt in front of his parents' grave. Miroku watched him go, then turned and walked back to the taijiya village.

Suyo heard Shippou approach, but he didn't move from his place in front of the gravestone. Shippou spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully. "Suyo… I don't know if you noticed the rosary that Miroku wears around his right wrist, but you should know; he hasn't worn that thing in almost twenty years. It's a spiritual seal that contains the force of the Kazaana, a curse that Naraku placed upon his family. It would have taken Miroku's life if we hadn't beaten Naraku when we did; it disappeared at the same time Naraku did. But it returned one week ago."

"I was returning to the taijiya village from a trip when I overheard Miroku screaming and a huge gust of wind blowing. I rushed toward the noise and saw Miroku kneeling, holding his old rosary over his right hand, and Sango, worried, at his side. He didn't say anything, but I knew that his Kazaana had returned, and that it meant Naraku was still alive out there. That same day, I stole the last Shikon shard from the safehouse Miroku and Sango built and used it to come through the well to your time. I stayed there, watching you and weaving the genjutsu that would make you willing to come here. I didn't do it because we needed your help or because I wanted to defeat Naraku. I brought you here because I know what its like to lose your parents, and to have a chance to avenge them. And most of all, I'm sure that this is what they, your parents, would have wanted: for you to realize the side of you that has been sealed away until now. To live as you were meant to live. So Suyo, I'm asking you: Will you honor your parents' memory and finish their battle? Will you help us defeat Naraku?"

Suyo stood up slowly, and looked at him. His eyes were tired, wounded, and full of pain, yet there was a resolve burning in them. "Defeat? No… I will _kill_ that…. that Naraku."

----

OMAKE! OMAKE! OMAKE! OMAKE!

Shippou entered the room casually. "Hey guys, miss me? I'd like you to meet-"

Shippou was suddenly cut off by a muffled growl coming from a shadowy corner of the room. Suyo instinctively froze, standing back by the door.

Sango burst from the shadows to seize Shippou in a stranglehold, shaking him back and forth to emphasize every word.

"DAMN YOU, SHIPPOU! IF I WASN'T SO GLAD TO SEE YOU COME BACK ALIVE, I'D KILL YOU!"

"IN FACT, I THINK I WILL!"

Sango clobbered the unfortunate Shippou into the ground with her fist, whacked him on the head with a bokken, a harisen, and an oversized mallet, drilled a crater in the dirt floor using Shippou as the drill bit, stomped on him with a ghostly projection of her inner self, and then finally kicked him over the horizion, bashing a sizable hole in the thatch roof as she did. "SHIPPOU NO BAKA!" she screamed until part of the roof caved in with the force of her anger.

"Now, now, Sango," Miroku said, "You're thirty-eight now, remember? Middle-aged mother figures never get physical, they restrain themselves to yelling, or maybe pinching, if anything."

"Don't remind me, Houshi-sama. I'm having too much fun!"

----

Author's Notes: Sorry, inside joke. Hard to imagine an angry, violent character turn domestic, isn't it?

Only six months between chapters 1 and 2, better than I expected. Chapter 3 is already 75 percent (can't use the percent symbol, bah) written though, so things should probably speed up.

No doubt someone reading this will be angry that I killed off Inuyasha and Kagome (although you could have figured that out from the first chapter.) I admit it's harsh, and makes my fic darker than some people might appreciate. However, I would like to point out the parallel between this, and how Takashi's plotline started with Inuyasha and Kikyou supposedly killing each other. Part of my goal in writing a sequel to an existing anime is to maintain some of the flavor of the original, and this is part of that effort.

A good example is Suyo's choice of language… I actually don't swear myself except in the most extreme circumstances, so I cringe a little inside every time Suyo does. But then, that's Suyo's character speaking, not me.

I find some ambiguity in the nature of human spiritual powers in the world of Inuyasha. Miko are Shinto, and Houshi are Buddhist, but their powers work very similarly. There's almost no distinction at all, and very little explanation for how they work. What I've decided on is:

1. There is no distinction between Shinto and Buddhist powers. (Miroku and Kaede worked together to conceal Inuyasha's presence from Royakan.)

2. One is strongest when isolated from worldly desires, and weaker when embracing them, but this doesn't mean they are completely devoid of spiritual strength. (Kikyou became weaker as she grew closer to Inuyasha.) Thus, Kagome lost some of her powers as a miko after leaving maidenhood behind, but not all. Miroku is also weaker spiritually than he was in the anime, although not by much .

3. Spiritual powers are hereditary to some extent. (Miroku's family, simple enough.)

----

Japanese Dictionary:

Chichiue – Archaic, respectful term for one's father.

Genjutsu – Magical illusionary hypnotism, or illusion magic. Foxes of Shinto mythology were tricksters, and are depicted in the world of Inuyasha to have magical powers to aid them with such.

Hahaue – Archaic, respectful term for one's mother.

Haori – Traditional Japanese outer clothing, worn like a shirt over a kimono.

Houshi – (Buddhist Monk) A male spiritual fighter, based on monks of the Buddhist religion. In the world of Inuyasha, Houshi use their spiritual powers to protect villagers from hostile youkai. There is little distinction between the spiritual powers of Buddhists and Shintoists.

Kazaana – (Wind Tunnel) Curse placed on Miroku's grandfather by Naraku, and has been passed down through the family. The curse acts as a black hole, and can be used as a weapon. However, it will inevitably grow until it is uncontainable and destroy the one who wields it.

Kitsune – Fox. See Genjutsu.

Kuromiko – (Dark Shinto Priestess) Purely fictional. A female spiritual fighter like a Miko, but uses her spiritual powers to control youkai and gain power for herself.

Miko – (Shinto Priestess) A female spiritual fighter, based on priestesses of the Shinto religion. In the world of Inuyasha, Miko use their spiritual powers to protect villagers from hostile youkai and help take care of children and tend to the sick and injured. There is little distinction between the spiritual powers of Buddhists and Shintoists.

Oneesan – Respectful term for one's elder sister.

-sama – A Japanese name suffix meant to convey extreme respect, especially for a lord or religious figure.

Shakujou – A houshi's staff. It has loose, jingling, metal rings on one end to announce the houshi's arrival.

Shikon no Tama – (Shikon Jewel) – "Jewel of Four Souls." A jewel created by a long-forgotten battle between miko and youkai, which grants power to both youkai and humans that use it.

Shouki – (Miasma) A variant of youki that acts as poisonous gas.

Taijiya – (Demon Slayer/Exterminator), A fighter trained to hunt youkai as a trade, often hired by defenseless villages in need of protection. The Taijiya use the bones and hides of youkai they slay to craft the durable weapons and armor they need to carry out their trade.

Taiyoukai/youkai – A youkai is a mythological spirit, often embodying natural concepts like animals, elements, or human emotions. Contrary to English translation convention, they are not demons, as they have no relation to the concept of heaven or hell. "Tai" means "great," so a taiyoukai is simply a powerful youkai.

Youki – A youkai's spiritual energy.


	3. Chapter 3

Inukouken – Ch 3

By TetsuyaDL

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and related characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc., Bandai and Viz Communications. I do not claim ownership over these characters, only over the story and original characters that are of my own creation. Please do not copy or use them without my permission. Thank you.

Rated PG-13 for strong language and violence (as the anime itself would be as well)

Misc Notes: _Italics_ indicate a character's thoughts. **-WORDS LIKE THIS-** are onomatopoeias that indicate sounds, like sound effects that one might see in a manga.

----

"Where…"

"What?"

"Where is he? Naraku… where is that murdering bastard?"

Shippou smiled halfheartedly. "I have no idea."

Suyo stared him in the eye for a moment longer, then pushed past him, storming back up the forest path. Shippou watched him go with satisfaction, and then calmly ran to catch up.

"Hey, what gives? Where are you stomping off to?"

"Where do you think? I'm going to ask that houshi if he knows where Naraku is. At least he wasn't wandering around in Tokyo like an idiot for the past week."

"Well, I'm glad to hear you're up to the task. I'm just curious, assuming that Miroku knows anything more than I do, and that you do manage to find Naraku, how exactly do you plan on killing him?"

"Shut up, kitsune."

"I thought so. Human schoolboys might fall easily to those fists of yours, but youkai are something else. You can't kill Naraku as you are now."

"If I wanted your opinion, I'd ask for it."

"Frankly, any youkai that stumbled upon you in the woods could eat you alive. A tasty, human snack."

Suyo's pace slowed, his fists clenched. Shippou continued pressing.

"A random, forgotten victim in the forest, never even had a chance…"

Suyo whirled around to face the kistune. "I've never lost a fight, ever. Youkai or not, Naraku doesn't scare me. I'll take on anyone and anything!"

Shippou smiled and crossed his arms smugly. "Well, there's a youkai right here. Care to try your luck?"

Suyo chuckled grimly and clenched a fist. He wanted to hurry up and find Miroku, but he had to admit, secretly at least, he didn't know what youkai were truly capable of. This would be a good opportunity to test himself against one. And on a deeper level… he really wanted to beat the crap out of something, anything, right now. To cover up the soul-wrenching pain he felt with the only way he knew how. "Heh…. damn it, Shippou, that attitude of yours has been getting on my nerves since I got here." He cracked his knuckles meaningfully. "I'm not going to hold back."

"That's fine. I might get some fun out of it then."

"Shut up and fight!" Suyo charged up with a punch aimed right at Shippou's face. Shippou merely leaned to the side, and the blow passed harmlessly past him. Suyo caught his balance and attacked again, but the nimble kitsune eluded him, dancing ahead just inches in front of his all-out attacks.

"Hold still, damn you!"

"Tsk, that tongue of yours. What would your grandmother say?"

"Bastard!"

Suyo charged up with a low punch, but Shippou simply vanished from his sight. Moments later, Suyo felt someone tapping him on the shoulder. "You know, I'm not nearly as fast or strong as some of what's out there. Even a human should do better than this."

"Arghh…." Suyo growled in frustration. He was mad, but he wasn't beaten. He'd had his fair share of fights against thugs and gangsters who wanted a piece of him, and he still had a trick or two up his sleeve. He crouched down and drew his fists back, as though he were about to spin around and rush Shippou again, but instead, he reached quickly behind him and grabbed Shippou's ankle. The surprised kitsune found himself on his back as Suyo pulled his leg out from under him.

"Not so smug now, are you!" Suyo yelled as he turned to finish his opponent before he had a chance to recover.

Then, instead of finding a prone, vulnerable target to strike, Suyo found himself face to face with a tiger. A very large, very angry, very _dangerous_ looking tiger.

"Yahhhh!" Suyo fell over backwards in terror as the tiger leapt at him… and flinched as something small landed on his chest. Suyo grabbed the object and slowly sat up to find himself holding a painted, wooden carving of the tiger that was about to rip out his throat.

"Not bad, not bad... you might last long enough to find a tree to hide behind," Shippou said, snickering from where he sat in front of Suyo.

Suyo flung the tiger carving at Shippou, annoyed with himself for being tricked so easily. "Feh! Like you can talk, hiding behind those magic tricks of yours!"

Shippou snatched the carving effortlessly out of the air and put it away. "Heh. There's more to youkai than fangs and claws..." the kitsune raised his hand, which was now supporting a small ball of bright blue fire over it. "... and if you expect Naraku to stand there and go toe-to-toe with you, you're in for a nasty surprise."

Suyo was surprised by Shippou's magical fireball, but kept his expression dismissive as he got to his feet. "Whatever. Magic isn't true strength if you don't have the guts to back it up."

Shippou closed his hand around the fireball, extinguishing it. He stood up and dusted himself off, casually examining a clawed hand as he replied offhandedly, "You know, it's funny you should say that. Because there's a way you could become a lot stronger... if you've got the guts to go for it."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're part youkai, aren't you? All you have to do is learn to use that to your advantage."

"I never said I believed the part about my dad being half-youkai, fox."

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I'll show you what I mean. But let's do that tomorrow, it's getting late."

"….all right."

"Say… do you want to head back home for the night? I can come by tomorrow morning… although we'll have to explain to Miroku why we need to take the Shikon shard out of its hiding place again…"

"No. I mean… forget it. It's not worth the trouble… to get the shard, and come back here, and…"

Shippou smiled. "All right then. You can sleep in my hut in the taijiya village. It'll be a… what's the word your world uses… party!"

Suyo gave him the most exasperated look imaginable.

"No… fucking… way."

"Aww, come on!"

Suyo turned and walked off towards the taijiya village once again.

"I'd rather sleep in a tree out here than listen to any more of your chatter than I have to."

"That's mean, you don't really mean that…"

"Just a constant stream of mindless babble, that's what you are!"

The two of them continued arguing as they headed back up the hill towards the palisade.

----

The night hung silently around him as he lay on his makeshift futon. He had been lucky enough to get a hut to himself for the night… even if it was used for food storage. That was the least of his worries, though; Miroku hadn't had much information to offer, and as Sango and Kohaku were off for who knows how long, he was still where he had started: nowhere.

Suyo was unbelievably tired after the day's events, but somehow, he just couldn't sleep. He quietly got up and left the hut, stepping out into the cool night air. The moon hung in the sky obscured by dark clouds, but just enough light shone through to illuminate the village around him, bizarre in its almost fantasy-like purpose. Suyo slowly walked around the village, observing the quaint rural huts, until he came to the wooden house in the center of the village. It wasn't terribly fancy, but it was definitely some kind of permanent residence, traditional to the era. No doubt Miroku and Sango lived in this building.

Careful not to disturb anyone inside, Suyo walked up to the patio of the house and sat down, his legs hanging over the edge and resting on a rock below. He gazed up at the cloud-shrouded moon overhead, trying to make sense out of everything that had happened to him in the past 24 hours.

"Hey, oniisan! Why are you sitting out here all alone?"

Suyo turned to look behind him, and found a small girl standing there. She was wearing a raggedy pink villager's kimono, and he recognized her as the girl who had been carrying armor plates around earlier that day.

The little girl came and sat down on the patio next to him, her feet dangling freely. "It's cold out here, you know. You'll catch a cold. Right, oniisan?"

Suyo chuckled, and closed his eyes. "Your mother probably wouldn't want you talking to me. I'm a scary person," he said automatically, the phrase rolling off his tongue with the smooth nature of repeated use.

"My mother's not here. She's dead."

"Oh… sorry."

"Nope! It's okay, I'm happy here! Miroku-sama and Sango-sama took care of me and my brother Keisuke after a youkai killed our parents, but that was a long time ago! Now they're teaching me to become a taijiya just like them, so I can beat scary youkai by myself!"

"Is that so… good for you then."

"My brother and I aren't the only ones, either. There are lots of others here just like us, and we're all going to be taijiya! Miroku-sama and Sango-sama will teach us!" She turned to look up at him curiously. "Hey oniisan, are you an orphan too? Are you going to be a taijiya like us?"

Suyo turned to glance down at the little girl. "You're a talkative one, aren't you," he said, more like a statement than a question.

The girl nodded enthusiastically. "Everyone says that."

"Heh… at least you're not getting me to jump down wells and fall asleep all day… damn kitsune."

"Oh, you've met Shippou-sama?"

"Youkai bastard said he'd show me how to become stronger."

"Really? Wow, you're lucky! Shippou-sama never has time to train anyone, you must be really special for him to teach you!"

"That busybody…"

"Shippou-sama's a really great fighter! He's a youkai, but he protects us humans anyway. And he's really cool, too!"

"Well, I guess everyone has their own opinion."

"Haha! You're funny, oniisan. I like you!" The girl smiled at him.

They sat there for a couple of minutes in silence, looking up at the sky and enjoying each other's company on the chilly night. The moon gradually came out from behind the clouds, covering the village in a silver sheen.

Finally, the girl yawned and stood up. "Well, I'm going to go inside now." She turned and gave Suyo a formal bow of departure, saying, "Do well on your training, so we can fight youkai together!"

She turned and walked towards the door of the house, only to have Suyo call after her.

"Hey, kid."

"Yes, oniisan?"

"What's your name?"

The girl smiled and said, "Tsukiko. It's Tsukiko!"

"All right then. Sleep well, Tsukiko."

"Yes!" she answered happily, and went inside.

Suyo smiled to himself as he heard the door shut behind him, feeling surprisingly at ease. Without realizing it, his thoughts had somehow managed to sort themselves out. He hadn't really known at the time what made him decide to spend the night here instead of back at home, but now he had an idea; despite all his complaints and denial, he really was eager to explore this new world. Maybe, he could find a place here, where he wouldn't have to be an outcast.

Still, his grandmother was probably worried about him. He'd have to go back soon to let her know he was okay.

The moon shone brightly amongst the twinkling stars, lighting the way as he drowsily made his way back to the storage hut and his futon.

----

Suyo finished his prayer in front of his parents' grave and stood up.

"I apologize, our village is so far from this place. It must be troublesome for you to walk all this way," Miroku said.

"No, it's fine." Suyo said, still looking at the stone. It was clean and well tended, free of weeds, with the grass neatly trimmed. "Thank you… for taking care of their grave," Suyo said quietly.

Miroku smiled politely as they turned to walk back towards the village. "Don't thank me. Shippou does most of the work; he comes here almost every day."

"Really? Wow… I never thought of him as the responsible type."

"You'd be surprised. He still misses them; they were foster parents to him, although perhaps Inuyasha was more like an elder brother. He didn't tell you?"

"Well, he did, but I wasn't taking him seriously at the time."

"You should talk to him about it."

"Well… I…. Feh."

"What is it?"

"If I talk to him, that means I have to put up with that bouncy attitude of his."

Miroku chuckled. "Yes, Shippou certainly is energetic. I doubt he's going to give you a minute alone, after taking the trouble to bring you here."

"What do you mean? He hasn't-"

"He's been following us for some time now. I sense his youki in that tree behind us."

"What!"

Suyo turned around and yelled with all his might, "SHIPPOU, DAMN YOU! SHOW YOUR DAMN KITSUNE FACE INSTEAD OF SNEAKING AROUND!"

"Ack!" Shippou came crashing down to the ground in surprise. "Don't scare me like that…" he complained, sprawled comically at the base of the tree.

Miroku looked at him, taken aback for a moment, then chuckled as he continued down the path.

Shippou jumped up quickly and ran up to Suyo. "You're up so early, I bet you can't wait to get started with your training. Let's go!" Shippou set off into the forest at a brisk pace.

Suyo sighed and followed after the kitsune. It was going to be a long day.

----

The forest was just waking as the sun began its slow ascent into the sky. Long shadows stretched behind two figures, one leading, one following. The leader seemed to be in a greater hurry than the follower appreciated.

"Shippou, why the hell did we have to come all the way out here? Where are we going?"

Shippou laughed. "We're going to start your training, in the best way possible."

Suyo tripped on a root and barely managed to keep his balance. "You mean to realize my hidden strength? That whole part youkai thing, which I still don't believe, by the way?"

Shippou continued at his brisk pace ducking under some low-hanging branches. Suyo had to run to catch up with him. "You'll be a believer soon enough. Remember when you ran away from that place with all the other people? That place where everyone sits in uncomfortable chairs and watches another human make scratches on the wall?"

Suyo pushed the low-hanging branches out of the way as he walked. "You mean high school?"

Shippou nodded appreciatively. "Ah, so that's what you call it. I was thinking that you had done something wrong, and that you were in the local prison."

Suyo couldn't help but laugh at that remark.

The fox youkai pulled back a large branch, revealing a clearing. Suyo had the misfortune to come up behind him just as Shippou released the branch and continued on, resulting in a bump on the head and a face full of dirt. Unaware of the offense, Shippou said, "Well, we're here. Ready for some exercise?" He turned to see Suyo sprawled on the ground. "Come on, this is no time to rest!"

Suyo stood up, nursing the large bump on his head. _Damn kitsune, can't he watch what he's doing?_

Suddenly, Suyo's eyes flashed golden. Shippou started. "You... your eyes..." Yet before he could manage another word, Shippou found himself staring into a pair of dark brown eyes once again.

"What is it now?" Suyo said, annoyed.

Shippou shrugged. "Nothing, forget about it," the kitsune said. His face didn't seem nearly as dismissive, however.

Suddenly, the peaceful early morning air was interrupted by a large crashing sound coming from the opposite end of the clearing. A huge, hulking oni burst out from the trees, roaring in a feral voice, "Who dares to enter the territory of I, Mugoimaru? Reveal yourself!" The humanoid youkai came to a halt in the middle of the clearing. Blue skin and a brown kilt covered its ten feet of muscle. Its one eye searched back and forth until it found the two figures partially hidden by shadow and foliage at the edge of the clearing. It raised its arms high above its horned head. "Come and fight me, cowards!"

Shippou gestured at the oni. "Well, there's your opponent. Show him what you've got!"

Suyo stared. "You want me to... to fight that thing?"

Shippou laughed and clapped Suyo on the shoulder. "Don't worry, low-level youkai like him are all bark and no bite. Oh, but when he runs at you, you might want to get out of the way."

With a puff of smoke, Shippou disappeared. Suyo now found himself alone, confronting an angry, charging oni. Part of him was frozen at the sight, but a nagging voice at the back of his mind ordered him to move.

WHAM Suyo dived out of the way just as Mugoimaru slammed a hole 3 feet deep in the ground. _Ahh! What the! He's really trying to kill me! _Suyo backed away as the youkai turned.

"Runt, you cannot escape me!" Mugoimaru raised a large fist. "Die!" The oni's monstrous feet pounded the ground as he moved in for a second attack.

"I don't know what you've got against me, monster, but I won't be pushed around so easily!" Suyo replied. He was used to fighting people bigger than him, and wasn't intimidated at all. He clenched his fist determinedly, already feeling pumped for battle. It was time to show this upstart who was boss.

Mugoimaru charged at him again, but this time, Suyo was ready. As Mugoimaru swung a giant fist at Suyo, the boy rolled forward underneath it, then jumped up and landed a punch of his own on his opponent's massive head.

"Take that, you overgrown troll!" Suyo jumped back, but to his amazement, the oni was hardly fazed by his fierce attack.

"Is that the best you can do? My skin is as tough as leather, and my skull is hard as a rock!" He swung a clumsy backhand at Suyo, who jumped away again, too surprised to laugh at the oni's tacky boast.

_What the? I used to knock people out with one punch, but he wasn't stunned at all!_ Suyo felt his confidence slipping away, with desperation taking its place.

Mugoimaru rushed Suyo again, but this time with a flurry of jabbing punches to catch the annoying human off guard. The boy managed to evade the blows, but was hard pressed to keep away from the monster's fists.

So hard pressed, in fact, that he didn't notice the tree root on the ground behind him until he tripped on it.

"Ha! Runt, let's see you escape now!" Mugoimaru moved in for the kill. He grabbed Suyo by the neck and held him aloft, enjoying the sight of his victim struggling to draw breath.

Suyo knew he was in trouble, but all he could think about was that he was getting beaten.

"Dammit," Suyo muttered. His heartbeat was throbbing in his ears and his vision was getting murky, but at the same time, rage was building up inside him, an intense, desperate rage. "I... won't... be beaten... by someone LIKE YOU!"

Suddenly, a throb of power emanated from the fang hanging from Suyo's neck, washing over him with what seemed like a mixture of raw fury and invigorating energy. The rage overtook Suyo's mind, flooding him so completely that he knew nothing but an intense need to crush this upstart weakling.

A sudden flash of yellow light, and Suyo broke free of Mugoimaru's grasp. Suyo landed deftly on the ground, then sprang up and punched his opponent in the jaw. The sound of the blow connecting echoed in the calm morning air as Mugoimaru flew across the clearing and landed among the trees.

_Wow... he did it! He is Inukouken!_ Shippou watched from his perch in a nearby tree, and he approved of what he saw. Suyo's black hair now had streaks of silver in it, and as the fox youkai watched, the streaks became more numerous until Suyo's hair was completely silver. The boy's teeth had elongated into fangs, and his fingernails were now long and pointed like claws. Suyo did not seem to have noticed his transformation yet, as he was now focused on the battle.

Mugoimaru picked himself up and rubbed his jaw. "I don't care how much stronger you got, trespasser; you will die at my hands!" The oni picked up a sizeable log from the forest floor and hurled it at Suyo.

"Feh!" Suyo cracked his knuckles, then effortlessly sliced the log into pieces with a swipe of his claws. Mugoimaru was already charging, and swung a huge fist at Suyo while he was still distracted by the log.

THUD Suyo ducked under Mugoimaru's clumsy blow and punched him in the stomach, forcing him to double over and gasp for breath. Suyo grabbed the oni's still-outstretched arm, pulled him off balance, and swung him around.

"If you like this spot so much, why don't you enjoy it from a bird's-eye-view!" Suyo yelled as he spun Mugoimaru so fast that he was a blur. Finally, Suyo released the unfortunate oni, who suddenly found his massive self flying high above the trees. Suyo turned and dusted himself off, ignoring the crash of Mugoimaru landing in the forest some distance away.

"That'll teach him to mess with me," Suyo laughed to himself.

"Inukouken! You did it, Inukouken!" Suyo suddenly found himself being congratulated, praised, and patted on the back all at the same time.

"Lay off, will you?" Suyo pushed the enthusiastic Shippou away. "And where were you all this time? I had to beat that youkai all by myself!"

The fox youkai stopped celebrating to look at him, surprised. "Well, for you to practice, of course! How else were you supposed to learn to tap into your youkai blood? Your suppressed power?"

"What are you talking about, kitsune?" A clawed hand caught his eye. It took a moment until he realized the hand was his. "What the hell! What's happening to me!" Suyo yelled as he stared at his hands, amazed by how much his fingernails appeared to have grown since he'd last checked.

"Hey, hey, calm down! Everything's fine, you've just transformed. You've got fangs, and claws," Shippou unceremoniously plucked out one of Suyo's hairs and pointed at it. "And your hair changed color too!"

"Hey!" The silver-haired boy knocked Shippou's hand away. "Mind explaining what's going on?" Suyo felt ready to panic at any moment. Or maybe beat Shippou into the ground again. The two came hand-in-hand.

Shippou calmed himself a bit, and explained in a measured, even tone, "Okay. When you were born, Inuyasha placed a seal on your blood, so that you could live normally in Kagome's world until you were old enough to return here. That's his fang you've been wearing around your neck. But then, he never had a chance to go back and get you, so the seal remained longer than it was supposed to. Now it has begun to weaken, which is why you've been getting stronger and more hotheaded. Now, the battle triggered the final release, and you broke free of it! All you have to do is remember what is feels like to access that power, and you gain greater strength, fangs and claws!"

During Shippou's lengthy explanation, Suyo had gradually felt the adrenaline from his battle wearing off, and with it, the powers he had just gained. Finally, his fingernails changed back to their original length, and he felt a tingling sensation as his teeth and hair returned to normal. Suyo breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

"So I get stronger when I transform... I guess I can't argue with that." Suyo looked at his hands again, now fully human. "But, I'm not a youkai, am I?"

"Not completely. You won't be as strong or fast as one, but there are ways to make up for that."

"So, if my mother was human, and my father was half-youkai…"

"Hanyou."

"… a hanyou, what does that make me?"

Shippou looked thoughtful for a minute, then smiled. "You're Inukouken, of course."

"Feh."

"What? That's the name your father gave you, isn't it?"

"Well, you say it is, and I guess Miroku and Sango thought so too… but damn, that's a weird-ass name."

"But it's an honorable name, of a respected youkai bloodline!"

Suyo shrugged and started heading out of the clearing, back the way they came.

"Just call me Suyo for now," he called over his shoulder.

"Su-yo… that's just too short and boring…" Shippou sighed as he followed. "How about Suyo no Inukouken? Or Inukouken, formerly known as Suyo?"

"My name's Higurashi Suyo. Quit fooling around."

"Higurashi Suyo, now that's a weird name…"

"And like Shippou isn't? Named after your fluffy tail, how pathetic…"

"It's Shippo-u! Don't forget the U!"

"Yeah right, no way is there seven treasures hanging out your ass."

"Ooh, you'll pay for that one!" Shippou lit up his hand with blue fire menacingly. "Kitsunebi!" he yelled as he flung the basketball-sized fireball at Suyo's back. Suyo saw it coming, and dodged aside.

"See? All magic, no guts! You'll never get me with that stuff!"

"Come back here so I can prove you wrong!"

The two of them raced off into the woods.

----

Author's Notes: Hoo yeah! One week, one chapter! I'm on fire today!

That probably won't happen again for a while though, as the next chapter doesn't have much prewritten, and I might even be going off in a different direction with the plot than I originally intended.

For those who don't know, "shippo" means "tail," and "shippou" means "seven treasures," referring to gold, silver, pearls, agate, crystal, coral, and lapis lazuli. Hence, the argument over the spelling of Shippou's name.

Shippou's moved up from wooden toys to wooden carvings. At least now he makes and enchants them himself.

Shippou uses the word "pa-ti," which is the english word "party" imported into Japanese. Using it would be a relatively trendy thing to do, especially for a youkai living decades before the English made contact with Japan.

It is important in traditional Japanese culture to tend for the graves of one's ancestors, often done on a certain day or two every year. Suyo obviously regrets not being there to do this for his parents' grave.

Bonus points for anyone who can figure out the moon's significance in this chapter! It carries over to chapter 1 as well, although I didn't intend for that at all when I first wrote the first scene. I made up "Tsukiko" from "tsuki" (moon) and "ko" (child), because it fits this theme, and it turns out it's a real Japanese name too! I love when things just fall into place.

I'm annoyed at how I can't find a better word for Tsukiko's outfit than "villager's kimono." You probably know what I mean by that, but I tried to research the subject, and only found information on Japanese upper-class fashion throughout history. On a side note however, Sesshoumaru's outfit is a hitatare, suou, or daimon. Hard to tell which. Inuyasha's outfit also looks like a hitatare, the standard warrior dress of the Kamakura period (1185-1333), which involves "hakama… worn with a short upper garment."

My brother commented that Suyo and Tsukiko's conversation sounds very Japanese. I was actually tempted to include "sou desu ka," "tsukiko, tsukiko desu!" etc, but decided not to for those who don't speak anime. It also conforms with my previous decision on using Japanese words, and it eases up on dictionary section too.

This chapter introduces what is quite possibly the most un-canon, AU thing I will write, Suyo's transformation. When I first wrote that scene, I thought to myself, "OMFG he just went Super Saiyan! I can't have that!"

I have a thing for transformations, but who doesn't? What could be cooler than pulling out all the stops, becoming a butt-kicking, foe-pwning, fighting machine with an awesome new look to go with it? Even after I came to hate DBZ as a matter of principle, I still hang on to the principle Super Saiyan, although now I've moved onto changing eye color, growing wings, and turning into giant animals. Now, I actually have Suyo's whole transformation sequence pictured in my head. Looking back, Suyo's willful transformation is pretty much the only thing that doesn't have a basis on the original Inuyasha series, but I decided to keep it there for coolness effect. Hope you can forgive my little indulgence there.

There's one problem with it though: coming up with a term for someone who is ¼ youkai and ¾ human. From "hanyou," a word Takahashi made up for Inuyasha, "han" means half and "you" obviously refers to "youkai." "Han" has its own kanji character and is a full-fledged Japanese word, but there's no specific word for "fourth." The only two real options are either to use the Chinese-based number system to make up a technical-sounding word like "one-fourth-youkai," or just avoid the issue altogether. Thus, Suyo will just be referred to as "part-youkai," until I come up with something better.

----

Japanese Dictionary:

Inukouken – (Dog-Guardian) A name that sounded cool, so I stuck with it.

Kitsunebi – (Foxfire) Standard issue combat spell for kitsune in the world of Inuyasha.

Mugoimaru - (Cruel-man) Easy to see where this one came from.

Oni – (Ogre) Traditional Japanese mythical creature, generally humanoid, large, and horned. Male oni have one horn, and female oni have two.


	4. Chapter 4

Inukouken – Ch 4

By TetsuyaDL

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and related characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc., Bandai and Viz Communications. I do not claim ownership over these characters, only over the story and original characters that are of my own creation. Please do not copy or use them without my permission. Thank you.

Rated PG-13 for strong language and violence (as the anime itself would be as well)

Misc Notes: _Italics_ indicate a character's thoughts. **-WORDS LIKE THIS-** are onomatopoeias that indicate sounds, like sound effects that one might see in a manga.

----

In the forest's shadows, a youkai lurked. Its reptilian eyes glared out from behind a massive tree, the rest of its body hidden from sight. It tilted its head slightly as it flicked its long, cunning tongue in and out, in and out, tasting the air for signs of threat or prey. Strong and undoubtedly secure in wit and ruthlessness, the youkai lay in wait, for means unknown.

"Sankon Tessou!"

In a flash, the lizard youkai was sliced into pieces along with the tree it hid behind. Suyo landed deftly in a crouch as the lizard's body disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving only the dried skin of a common woodland lizard amongst the leaves that littered the ground. The tree tipped over slowly, snapping tangled branches overhead, and finally crashed down to the forest floor, chopped cleanly off at its base.

Shippou walked up and collected the lizard skin, putting it away within his haori and surveying the freshly cut tree stump with approval. "See? When you come from the opposite side and cut down the tree too, you catch them by surprise. Even if you miss, you confuse them, giving you a chance for a second shot."

Suyo grinned and cracked his knuckles, taking care not to scratch himself with his claws. "Heh! Nothing to it, I could do this all day! And anyway, I don't even work up a sweat against these illusions of yours anymore, can't you do any better?"

Shippou snorted dismissively. "My illusions are just that, illusions. Usually they work as distractions, but right now they're helping you practice calling up and maintaining your youki, so you should be thankful."

"Thankful? Maybe so… now that I have claws, I can just cut off your tongue if you're bugging me too much."

Shippou chuckled and shrugged off the comment. "You might have claws now, but you still don't have real combat experience using them. We'll go hunting for real youkai later."

"Real youkai? You just find them wandering around the forest?"

"Where else would you find them?" Shippou asked, annoyed.

"I dunno… I just figured magical beings would have some kind of secret magical hideout or world or something…"

Shippou blinked. "Right… anyway, let's head back to the village, Suyo."

Suyo started uncomfortably for a second, then grunted affirmatively and followed Shippou back towards the village. He still felt tense, however. Every time he heard his name spoken, it reminded him that his parents had given him a different one. It was so strange; his name had been Suyo for as long as he remembered, and he'd never had any reason to think otherwise. His grandmother and uncle had never even mentioned the name 'Inukouken,' not once. Maybe he had been given both a youkai and a human name when he was born? But, Miroku hadn't said anything about that, and neither had Shippou. In any case, the answers most definitely lay with his family back home. But, did they even know his real name to begin with, or that he was even part youkai, for that matter? The more he thought about it, the more he wondered if he could ever feel comfortable being called 'Suyo' again.

Suyo took a deep breath as he felt his youki settle and his youkai features fade away. To forcibly break through the fang's seal and call up his buried youki… it was a strange feeling, an emotion that he'd never felt before. Exciting was the best word for it; the youki always got his heart pumping and full of life. Sometimes it even made him feel a little giddy, like he was intoxicated on some subtle drug. It caused him act a little more impulsively too… playing tag with Shippou's fireballs had to have been the most childish thing he'd ever done… but maybe that was just because he was adapting to his new surroundings. Not to mention Shippou… Suyo was finally getting used to the fox youkai's chatter, although he kept up appearances of constantly finding him annoying. Still, the kitsune had helped him learn a lot about himself in the past few hours, so he owed him something, frustration and temper put aside.

_"But the fact remains, these things continue to happen! Suyo, if you don't learn to control that temper of yours, you might hurt someone! You know that, don't you?"_

Suyo inhaled sharply as his grandmother's reprimanding words echoed in his head. More impulsive! He had become more impulsive by weakening and breaching the seal on his youki… that meant that he was a greater danger to those around him than ever before. Before, he'd fought mostly out of self-defense, maybe once or twice to defend his pride if someone was really asking for it… but now, he was learning to fight so he could kill someone.

_Suyo stood up straight and looked the leader square in the eye. "You've caught me in a very bad mood right now. You've got three seconds to get out of my way, because I'm going ahead, through you bastards if I have to."_

And just a moment ago, he'd threatened to cut out Shippou's tongue... had it really been a joke when he said it? He'd gotten so used to slaying Shippou's illusionary youkai with his newfound claws; would he be able to stop himself from using them on someone who looked at him the wrong way?

"_Sorry won't cut it this time, Higurashi. Go stand in the hallway. And try not to break the door on your way out, please."_

_-**WHAM**- Suyo looked up in surprise at the unexpected baseball-sized hole that now graced the wall, his fist right in the middle of it._

Suyo bowed his head, clenching and unclenching his fist, looking at the hand that he knew he could not trust himself to control. Going back… it was too much to risk.

As they cleared the last of the trees and made their way along the rice fields towards the distant taijiya village, Suyo decided. In his own time, he was a danger to everyone around him, but here, most people left him alone, and he was regularly venting any frustration during his training; this was the best place for him to stay until he figured things out. Even if he couldn't risk returning home, Miroku had mentioned that he had gone through the well once to tell his grandmother about his parents' death; that meant he might have the answers Suyo was looking for. And if he didn't… well, it would probably be okay if he went home but stayed safely at the family shrine. It wasn't like staying out of school and everything else for a while was such a big deal anyway.

Right?

----

"Suyo, I don't understand. Why are you asking me this?"

"It doesn't matter, just answer me, please."

Miroku sighed and set down his brush and the letter he was writing. Shippou had left earlier to take care of something, so Suyo had taken the opportunity to talk to the houshi alone. "I am fairly certain that your grandmother was informed of your true name before I visited her. That was what I called you when I was there, so I don't see how she could not have known... but then, perhaps she was distracted. I did, after all, bear very tragic news at the time."

"And, what about Ojisan?"

"Your uncle was not present at the time."

"I see." _So Ojisan might not have known, but Obaasan must have…_

"Um… Miroku. I've been here for almost two days, and I would like to tell Obaasan that I'm okay…"

"Of course. You will need the Shikon shard to travel through the well. I will fetch it for you."

Miroku got up to do so, and Suyo got up to follow him. "That Shikon shard… why do you have to hide it, anyway? It can't be all that powerful if its just one tiny piece of the Shikon no Tama, right?"

"I only wish it were so. The shard by itself is still quite powerful, and still attracts both humans and youkai to itself; we must keep it hidden to make sure it is not used for evil ends. We did take it to a miko at one point to have it purified, but for some reason, it repelled her spiritual energy and would not cleanse at all. In the end, we kept it here, and I used my wards to seal it away from any external influences and potential thieves. So, it remains in the same state of impurity as the day we defeated Naraku."

"But, Shippou managed to get his hands on it, didn't he?"

"Yes… that was unexpected of him. Obviously, he knew how to pass by my protective barrier, and everyone trusted him, so he had every opportunity to take it. But of course, he only did so in order to bring you here…"

Miroku slowed his pace as he spoke, and finally stopped to turn and face Suyo. "Suyo… are you happy here?"

Suyo blinked, surprised. "What?"

"Are you glad to have come here, to be here?"

Suyo crossed his arms and looked off to the side. "Damn… I guess so. I wanted to learn about my parents, and I did, so why shouldn't I be happy?"

"I see. That's good," Miroku said as he continued walking again. "Suyo… if there's ever a time you decide this is not the life you want, you can always return to the one you left behind. But, you will always be welcome here, as the son of Inuyasha and Kagome-sama. You have my word."

Suyo was a little spooked by Miroku's sudden openness and sincerity, but kept his face impassive. "What's up with all this? I've only been here for two days, it's not like I'm stuck here forever."

"Of course, you are right… please forgive my impudence."

"Feh."

Finally, they reached the shed, and Miroku formed a quick hand seal, dispelling the spiritual barrier that protected it. The shed was old and rickety, one of the last places Suyo expected something valuable to be hidden.

Miroku disappeared inside and quickly emerged, holding the Shikon shard in its small glass vial. "Be careful not to lose it, Suyo. Great trouble would arise if you do."

"All right." Suyo said as he took the shard and put it in his pocket. "Well, I guess I'll be heading out, then."

"One more thing, Suyo. Have you… been getting along with Shippou?"

"What?" Suyo said blankly, for the second time in the past five minutes. "Yeah, I guess so. Bastard's still annoying, but I'm getting used to it."

"Annoying, you say? Is that all?"

Suyo was getting weirded out by Miroku's directness again; he wanted to just finish the conversation and leave. "Yeah… nice guy I guess, talks too much, weird taste in clothes, what else is there to say?"

Miroku looked at Suyo in the eye, his face strikingly serious. "People often hide their true nature beneath a façade to protect themselves from the world. The same goes for youkai as well. Remember that, Suyo."

"Uh… sure."

"Good. Well then, travel safely."

"Yeah, see you."

Suyo hurried away, eager to get away from the houshi and his uncanny questions. _What the hell was that all about?_ he wondered.

As he approached the open gate to leave the taijiya village, he saw two figures entering, dressed in that bizarre plated suit that all the taijiya seemed to wear. Suyo recognized them by their weapons, Sango, carrying a giant boomerang on her back, and Kohaku, tossing his axe up in the air and catching it by the handle. "Hey, newcomer!" the young taijiya called upon seeing Suyo, waving his weapon in the air. Suyo gave a short, obligatory wave in reply.

"Suyo, right? You're still here?" Kohaku asked as they got within comfortable speaking range.

"Yeah, but I'm going home now," Suyo answered, holding up the Shikon shard.

"Um… Suyo-san, you're leaving?" Sango asked hesitantly, apparently still unsure of how to treat the boy who yelled at everyone the last time they'd met. Suyo cringed a little inside, remembering that.

"Yeah, but I'm coming back soon. Um… sorry about before. I was having a rough day," Suyo apologized.

"Oh, all right. Thank you." Sango said, looking relieved. Kohaku glanced at him, somewhat surprised. "Well then, we won't delay you any longer. Goodbye," the elder taijiya said.

"So long, Suyo!" Kohaku called after him as they continued past him.

As he passed through the gate, Suyo heard Miroku's distant voice behind him, greeting his wife and son back from their extermination trip. Without understanding why, Suyo stopped to watch them, then slowly moved to hide himself behind one side of the gate, trying to remain inconspicuous as he observed the family.

Sango waved as she and Kohaku approached the houshi. "We carried out our mission. It was a pretty routine job."

"That's good. Was Kohaku helpful enough?"

"He fought flawlessly. I don't even need to watch over him anymore." Kohaku stood up straighter upon hearing his mother's praise. "By the way, has Minazuke come back yet?"

"No, she's still out looking for Shippou. She hasn't yet heard that we've already found him."

"The poor girl works too hard… unlike some people I know. I hope you haven't let the place burn down while we were gone, Houshi-sama." Sango's tone was lightheartedly reproachful.

Kohaku walked up and clapped his father on the shoulder. "Nah, old Oyaji–sama wouldn't let that happen. Of course, assuming he wasn't distracted, ogling the village girls again."

Sango reflexively reached for the massive boomerang strapped to her back, and Miroku held up his hands disarmingly. "Sango, you know you're the only one for me. I haven't even looked at another woman ever since you left."

Sango walked up and tugged his ear, feigning mock anger. "Oh? And how about before I left, hmm? They say old habits die hard."

Miroku looked over at Kohaku pleadingly, his ear still prisoner to Sango's chastising grip. "Kohaku, she doesn't believe me. What am I to do?"

"Beg forgiveness, like you always do, of course," an amused Kohaku replied.

Miroku bent down on one knee and took Sango's hands in his own, an exaggerated, pleading expression only somewhat successfully covering the roguish grin on his face. "Sango, my only love, can you ever forgive me for the crimes I never committed?" he asked.

Sango did her best to keep a straight face, but finally burst out laughing and hugged him as he stood up. "You old pervert, you're off the hook this time."

"Aww, he lucked out today." Kohaku said, disappointed as he left the pair to themselves.

_What a crazy, dysfunctional family. _Suyo thought to himself. _But then… they do get along well together… like a family should._ Suyo quietly left his hiding place and continued down the road towards the forest, still holding the image of Miroku's happy family in his mind. It had suddenly made him feel overwhelmingly homesick, ridiculously foolish for delaying his own return home for even a minute. He would apologize to his grandmother for disappearing, ask what he needed to ask, and stick around for a day or two, at least. Maybe even help his uncle around the shrine. There was no reason to rush things, after all; Naraku wasn't going anywhere.

----

Suyo landed heavily at the bottom of the well, his heart racing. The last time he'd come through the well, he'd been focused on catching Shippou, so he hadn't paid much attention to the well's magic. Coming back through now, by himself, had really tested his courage, but Suyo had focused on the thought of returning home to his family and managed to get the nerve to jump in. In the end, the well's magic really wasn't all that flashy at all, and he barely noticed the 500-year jump forward. As he grabbed on to the loose stones of the well and climbed out, Suyo tried to calm himself down, and plan out what he would say to his grandmother.

Unfortunately, every one of those plans vanished into smoke the moment he saw the elderly lady through the open doorway of their house. Her face was wrought with worry and stress, but upon seeing him, her expression brightened as though he'd just come back from the dead. Frozen where he stood, Suyo said the only words that came to mind.

"Tadaima… obaasan."

"Suyo? You're home!"

Suyo stood motionless as his grandmother came running out the door to hug him in a tight embrace. "I was so worried, you didn't come home, and your teacher said you left school early; I had no idea where you were!"

"I know. I'm sorry, Obaasan."

His grandmother finally collected herself and stepped away, her concerned tone instantly replaced by vindictive anger.

"Higurashi Suyo, you had better tell me where you've been, right this instant!"

Suyo looked down at the ground, questions burning in his mind, but terribly afraid of what the answers might be.

"Higurashi… Su-yo… is that really my name, Obaasan?"

"What? Of course it is!"

"Is it the name… that my parents gave me when I was born? Kagome… and Inuyasha?"

His grandmother stared at him in shock, her eyes wide with fear. "No… no, no no. No…" she said, over and over.

Suyo looked up at her, pleadingly. "Please, Obaasan. I need to know. I've gone through the well… like Okaasan did. I've been to the past. I've learned of their lives, I've met their friends, I've visited their grave. And I learned that they named me Inukouken."

Upon hearing his birth-name, Suyo's grandmother legs gave out and she fell to her knees, the same frozen look of horror still on her face.

"But why, Obaasan? Why… did you never tell me?"

Suyo kneeled down and took his grandmother's hands into his own. "Who am I, Obaasan? Who is Suyo?"

"Suyo is the name we gave you." Suyo turned to see his uncle Souta approaching from behind, dressed in a shinto priest's robes and still holding a handful of old dust rags he'd been using to clean out the shrine's storage shed. "The monk told us the name Kagome-neesan gave you, but we decided it would be better for you to go by a more common, acceptable name while you were here. So you could live a normal life, until-"

"Forever!"

Suyo and Souta stared at the elderly lady in astonishment. She had suddenly risen to her feet, hands outstretched as she shouted the single, condemning word. "Forever… you were to stay here forever, Suyo. I learned, oh yes. I was once naïve, like your mother. I believed… I believed that she would… would be happy pursuing her foolish dreams with that Inuyasha. Cursed monster! I let her do as she pleased. I prepared food, supplies. I helped her fix her bicycle. I helped her grandfather excuse her from her classes, I helped Souta keep track of her homework. I made sure that no matter what, she had a home to return to! A home for her to raise her children, to raise you!"

Suyo stared, paralyzed, unable to believe the things his grandmother was saying. Her face was twisted with hate and disgust. Disgust… but for whom? His parents? His father, for taking her only daughter away? For herself for letting it happen? Or even… for him?

"But no, one day she didn't return. That accursed houshi came instead. He came, to tell us of the tragedy, yes, the tragedy that befell dear Kagome-chan. Of course, wandering around in some dangerous world with monsters running amuck! Who could foretell that one of those monsters might just kill her! I knew it was dangerous, but I believed… I let her follow her so-called dreams. I trusted in her Inuyasha to keep her safe. And what did it get her? A horrible, painful death at the hands of some inhuman fiend!" She was now practically frothing at the mouth in rage, her body heaving for breath as she continued to rant and rave.

"And you… you were the victim of her foolishness. You carried the blood, HIS blood. The blood that belonged in that world. I knew that as long as you carried it, you would follow your mother's path, through that damned well! So I did all I could to keep it secret. I told you nothing, had Souta tell you nothing. Nailed the shrine well shut. Raised you, trained you to restrain that… inhumanity. And you lived here, normally. Normally, a normal, happy boy! You were to be spared of her curse!"

His grandmother gave a weak smile, as though finding humor in finding all her efforts come to naught. "But no… you just had to run off through that well, didn't you? You didn't want to be normal, you didn't want to be my Suyo. You wanted… wanted… to break my heart all over again…"

Finally, his grandmother fainted into merciful unconsciousness and crumpled to the ground, the toll of her outburst having been too much for her frail body. Suyo wanted to go, to cradle his grandmother, to make sure she was okay, but he couldn't move. His body felt numb, cold and dead to him. He could only watch as his uncle ran over to check for her pulse, and gently lift her up to carry her inside. Each step he carried her towards the house, was an infinite distance away, far away from him…

"Suyo… no, Inukouken."

Suyo looked up, slowly, the very movement unimaginably painful. His uncle Souta spoke without turning, his back out of reach, obscured by the shadow of the nearby trees reaching overhead. His voice quivered with emotion. "She… loved Kagome-neesan… very much. She loved you too. She wanted you to be happy. I didn't agree with her… I wanted to tell you who you were. But, Neesan's death hurt her so very much, I didn't want to risk going against her wishes and hurting her more."

Suyo spoke disconnectedly, struggling to get the words out "I… I never meant… to…"

"The damage is done, son. But it's okay; this moment was destined to come since the day you were born. It's okay for you to do what you want to. Go now, find who you are. It's what's best." Souta finally turned, giving Suyo a half-hearted smile with his tear-stained face. "I just hope that… she hasn't given up for good."

And then, Souta carried his unconscious mother, Suyo's grandmother, into the house, leaving Suyo alone outside. So very alone…

----

Shippou was lazily enjoying the last few hours of warmth before the sun went down, leaning his back against the Bone-eater's well as he waited for Suyo's return. A chunk of wood in his hand gradually took form as he idly whittled it with his dagger, handling the blade with expert practice. The wood shavings whimsically collected in a pile beside him, the wind teasing at them but not quite strong enough to lift them away. The fluttering movements of the scraps of timber mimicked that of Shippou's foxlike tail, its slow, swishing movement the only hint at the kitsune's impatience for his friend's return.

Then, Shippou's dagger stopped in mid-cut as he finally caught the scent he had been waiting for. Behind him, Suyo climbed slowly out of the well, his movements automatic, as though directed by someone other than himself. Shippou looked up from his seat resting against the base of the well, then jumped up merrily.

"Suyo, you're back so soon!"

-**THUD**-

Shippou fell to the ground, clutching his face with one hand, catching himself with the other. Suyo looked down at him, grimly watching the bewildered kitsune rub the sizeable bruise above his left eye where Suyo's fist had struck him.

"You bastard… you stone-hearted, selfish bastard…"

"Suyo, what the hell?" Shippou got to his feet cautiously, completely baffled about what Suyo could possibly be thinking. Suyo simply glared at him, his face cold and reproachful, his eyes devoid of tears.

"You… just had to come and bring me here, didn't you. You bastard. Ruining my life…"

Suyo walked slowly past him into the forest, his gait zombie-like, his gaze staring into space. Shippou watched him go, completely at a loss for words. Except one…

"Interesting."

----

Author's Notes: Ouch! Just when you thought it would be all warm and bubbly from now on, my creative demon comes crashing down on you. When I first wrote this scene, it was three in the morning… then when I read over it, I said, "Holy crap. I wrote this! It even scares ME!" It's undoubtedly the darkest thing I've ever written… somewhere, someone is crying now because of what I wrote. Forgive me! (sobs)

And if you don't think that was scary, then you've led a less sheltered life than I have. I congratulate you on your hardiness.

Miroku's "hand seal" is the pose with two fingers extended on one hand. He uses it when channeling spiritual energy.

Kohaku normally calls his parents "Chichiue" and "Hahaue," respectful, archaic terms for one's father and mother. "Oyaji" is a more rough term, something more like what Inuyasha would say. "Oyaji-sama" is my juxtaposition of casual and formal, highlighting Kohaku's teasing attitude. Hopefully, I didn't break some unwritten Japanese law by writing that.

Everyone loves a good WAFF scene! The challenge is tying them into the story so they're more than just fluff. Poor Suyo, he wants to know what it's like to have loving parents. And Kohaku, he's doing more than just teasing. Smart boy, he is.

You win a cookie if you understand the reference of youkai living in their own magical world. Why are there so many crossovers with that anime anyway? Heh.

"One-fourth youkai" is "Shibun no youkai." I still like "part-youkai" better.

Ten days since last chapter! I'm getting better at this than I ever imagined I would.

Since starting this story, I became aware of evidence that there is no standard rule for who can and cannot pass through the Bone-eater's well, with a shikon shard or without. So, I'm just going with what I've seen used most often, and what fits my plot.

----

Japanese Dictionary:

-chan – A naming suffix, used to refer to girls and young children.

-neesan/Neesan – A naming suffix or pronoun, used to refer to an elder sister.

Ojisan – A respectable term for "uncle."

Okaasan – A respectable term for "mother."

Oyaji – A rough word for "father."

-sama – A naming suffix, used to convey great respect or to refer to someone of higher status, such as a feudal lord or religious figure.

Sankon Tessou (Iron Reaver Soul Stealer/Soul Shattering Claw) – Inuyasha's old offensive technique where he would strike with his claws, occasionally leaving trails of youki as he did so. Now, Shippou has taught the technique to Suyo.

Tadaima – Japanese phrase commonly said upon returning home. The common response is "okairinasai" or just "okairi." (welcome back.)


	5. Chapter 5

Inukouken – Ch 5

By TetsuyaDL

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and related characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc., Bandai and Viz Communications. I do not claim ownership over these characters, only over the story and original characters that are of my own creation. Please do not copy or use them without my permission. Thank you.

Rated PG-13 for strong language and violence (as the anime itself would be as well)

Misc Notes: _Italics_ indicate a character's thoughts. **-WORDS LIKE THIS-** are onomatopoeias that indicate sounds, like sound effects that one might see in a manga.

----

Twinge.

Twinge.

Every step… a twinge of pain.

Every step, required a thought. Every thought, opened a crack in the isolated, thoughtless shelter that he had retreated to within his mind. He stayed in that numb, pitch-black place, away from all the pain that seeped in through the cracks of his shell. Nothing else mattered.

Yet, he was still vaguely aware that he was going somewhere, slowly. Step by step.

Twinge.

Twinge.

Twinge…

----

Shippou followed a good distance behind the oblivious boy, hiding himself amongst the branches of trees that grew along the path Suyo followed. The kitsune was careful to stay as far away as possible without losing sight of his quarry, but it hardly seemed necessary; after lashing out at him, Suyo seemed to have become completely ignorant of his surroundings, focused only on making his measured pace down the forest path. Shippou jumped lightly from branch to branch, pushing all of his youkai senses to their limit in scrutinizing the surrounding forest. These woods weren't exactly the safest place to wander addled, and Suyo was going to get himself eaten if someone didn't watch his back. Still, Shippou knew these woods better than anyone, and as he was fairly confident that they were nearing their destination, he wasn't too worried.

Sure enough, the Goshinboku loomed up ahead as they slowly made their way towards it. Shippou smiled slightly in the fading light, and quickly bounded over to his favorite branch, high up in a withered chestnut tree. From here, he could easily see the entire clearing, but not be easily spotted from the ground. As Suyo made his way to the lonely gravestone below, Shippou had already made himself comfortable and begun carving again, with a fresh piece of wood in his hand and his ears and nose on the lookout for any danger below.

----

It still hurt.

When he saw his grandmother rage to the point of passing out, it hurt.

When he watched his uncle take her away, it hurt.

When he had left home soon after, it hurt.

He had blamed Shippou for what had happened. If Shippou hadn't brought him here, his grandmother would never have renounced him. It was so easy to blame Shippou.

But when he hit Shippou, it didn't stop hurting. It hurt even more.

Why did it hurt so much?

Suyo knelt in front of his parents' gravestone, wondering for a moment how he had gotten here. His shallow breath formed mist in the cool air as he leaned closer, tracing over the stone's smooth texture with his eyes and fingertips in the dim moonlight. Night had fallen unnoticed, and the forest around him was stiflingly silent. He was the only one here, in this lonely place.

Everything he had known was out of his reach. The one person he had trusted most all his life had abandoned him. If only he had listened to her when he had had the chance… but now it was too late.

What did he have left?

The gravestone felt so cool and smooth.

Already, he had begun to bury the pain within himself.

----

Suyo gradually became aware of the world again, though unwillingly. The sun had risen long past. He shifted his weight and felt a jagged twig jab into his back. Suyo sat up slowly, legs hanging down either side of the branch on which he had spent the night, his mind sluggishly remembering. He had come back early. He hadn't had the nerve to return to the taijiya village where they would be sure to ask about him about his premature arrival. And so, as though it was the most natural thing in the world, he had spontaneously scaled up a tree and found a secure branch to sleep on. The Goshinboku, no less.

What kind of dog sleeps in a tree, anyway?

He idly leaned back against the trunk of the Goshinboku, watching the sunlight filter down through the leafy boughs. He found the tree surprisingly comfortable… maybe he would just stay in bed for a while; it wasn't like he had anything better to do.

The distant Bone-Eater's well was just visible to him from this height. Seeing it brought everything rushing back. His grandmother, raging, falling. His uncle taking her away. Shippou, damn that fox, waiting for him. His parents' serene gravestone in the fading light.

Suyo gradually decended from his perch, shifting his weight slowly, warily grasping the next branch with both hands and slowly lowering himself down to the next one. He proceeded at this snail's pace, slower even than he had climbed down trees as a child, stretching it out as long as possible. His mind was blank when he finally reached the bottom. Like a zombie, albeit a rested one, he moved, shuffling step after step…

----

Some time later - he didn't know how long - Suyo neared the forest's edge. It was then that he first noticed the noise. Shouts. Crashes. Screams. Noise that he would have identified as a street gang's brawl back in the city. But he wasn't in the city now, which meant…. a battle?

The village was in danger!

Shaken out of his stupor, Suyo increased his pace, running at a hurried jog until he passed the last tree and came within view of the fields below. A crowd of people, villagers from the rice fields, were gathered in a wide arc around a hulking mass… what he could only identify as some kind of giant monster. Above the waist, it appeared somewhat humanoid, but below its frame broadened to form a broad, featureless base of flesh, twice as wide as its ten-foot stature. Its stocky body and misshapen skull were dark, almost the color of mud, giving it the appearance of a living mound of earth spewed from the ground. Its most striking feature was the several massive boulders floating around him at different heights; it controlled them with wide, sweeping movements of its massive arms. In contrast to the monster's awkwardness, the boulders themselves moved with nimble precision.

The monster roared furiously as it wielded its stoney missiles, slamming the boulders into the ground as it sought in vain to strike down the five-odd taijiya that circled around it. The taijiya used their advantage of numbers wisely, staying out of range of the boulders, running in to strike when the monster's back was turned, trying to catch their opponent off guard. But, try as they might, the five found their every attack harmlessly deflected by the persistent boulders. One taijiya was attacking more than the others; unable to find any openings, Kohaku swung his massive axe over and over as though determined to cut a path through the unyielding rock, but to no avail.

Glancing back at the crowd of villagers, Suyo spotted Sango and Miroku in the middle of it, pushing their way to the front. Suddenly overwhelmingly curious to understand the situation, Suyo ran down to join them.

As he approached, Suyo slowed down, his expression grim as conflicting desires fought within him. After a moment of deliberation, he turned and made his way into the crowd of villagers, staying close enough to the front to watch what was going on. The villagers paid no attention to him, as Sango and Miroku had just made their dramatic emergence to the forefront. Weapons at the ready, they ran up to Kohaku, who stepped back from the battle to make his report.

"Kohaku! Is this the youkai?" Miroku called out.

"Yeah, this is it. We managed to cut it off before it reached the village, but it's stronger than we expected. It wields those boulders both to attack and defend; none of us can get past them!" Kohaku wiped sweat from his face with the back of his hand, panting with exertion.

"This is bad… we've never trained them to fight a youkai like this," Sango said, worried.

"There's something strange about this… what's an earth-elemental youkai doing so far from the mountains?" Miroku wrinkled his forehead, puzzled.

"We can worry about that after we've slain it. Kohaku, tell these villagers to step back before they get themselves killed or taken hostage."

Just then, the youkai took notice of the impromptu council of war, and advanced upon the trio. "Houshi… woman taijiya… Shikon shard… you have it!"

The three stared at him, the taijiya squad stopped in their tracks, and even the unruly mob of villagers quieted to hear the youkai speak.

"Surrender… Shikon shard… to this Kubousu!" it declared.

"Shikon shard?" Kohaku echoed. "It's after The Shikon Shard?"

"Well," Miroku answered grimly, "it's certainly not the first youkai that has come seeking the Shikon shard's power, but it's the first to know about us before it came here." He grinned weakly. "We must be getting famous, Sango."

"Yes… too famous." Sango answered, as she gripped Hiraikotsu's handle tightly. She then stepped away from the others, facing Kubousu down. "Listen well, youkai. If you've heard of us, you know we only slay youkai that attack humans. Leave now and we'll let you go. I won't tell you again."

"Human… fool! Shikon shard… is mine!" Kubousu advanced, slithering towards the taijiya matriarch.

"Very well then." Sango leapt easily into the air, swinging her massive boomerang around her. "Hiraikotsu!" she yelled as she let it fly, sending it straight at the youkai below.

Kubousu roared aloud and beckoned two boulders into the boomerang's path, but the deadly weapon cleaved through the rock easily. Hiraikotsu bounced off the ground an inch in front of the earth youkai's base before it flew back into the air, and finally swooped in a wide arc to return to its mistress' hand.

As the villagers gasped in amazement and the taijiya cheered for their leader, Suyo couldn't help but feel astounded at how different this Sango was from the one who had been uneasy to even talk to him, when all he'd done was yell and shout a little. _She must be really into this youkai slaying stuff…_ he thought.

"I missed because of the boulders… but I'll hit the mark this time!" Sango shouted as she sent the deadly boomerang flying at her target once again.

Kubousu snarled as the boomerang flew horizontally towards him, but made no move to block it. Instead, he held out one arm, palm facing upwards, and grunted as his arm shook with exertion. Moments before being cleaved in two, he finally gestured upwards, unearthing a buried rock out of the ground in front of him. The stone hit Hiraikotsu along its flat base, sending it veering upwards. Kubousu turned as it flew past him, motioning yet more rocks out of the ground. But, these rocks were actually clumps of mud and clay, and rather than bounce off the weapon, they stuck to its base, coating it. Weighed down by soggy earth, the mighty boomerang fell from the sky, landing on the ground next to Kubousu. The youkai cackled in triumph as he moved his hulking mass on top of the weapon, drawing it within his body with a series of sickening, gloopy sounds. The villagers' excitement ended abruptly and a shocked silence swept over the field, broken only by Kubousu's booming laughter.

"My attack was beaten… by something like this? It's not possible!" Sango exclaimed in disbelief.

"Only Inuyasha could predict Hiraikotsu's movement so well on his first time seeing it," Miroku said as he stepped up to guard her. "This youkai is far more intelligent than he led us to believe."

"It's going to be hell cleaning that thing if we ever get it back…" Kohaku muttered glumly.

"I'll take over from here, Sango," Miroku said. He strode calmly towards Kubousu, grasping his shakujou in one hand, drawing several rectangular ofuda from his robes with the other. "Kubousu, was it? That was a convincing act, hiding your skill. But, you can't hide your youki. I sense it saturating those boulders; that is how you maintain tight control over them. I will cleanse that with my power." Chanting a prayer under his breath, Miroku held up the paper talismans in front of him, unlocking the spiritual power they held. "Seibai!" He shouted as he threw the ofuda at the hulking youkai.

"You… cannot… stop me!" Kubousu roared in response. With a massive downward sweep of his arms, the boulders around him all crashed mightly into the ground, kicking up mammoth sprays of rock and soil. The earthy volley blasted the ofuda out of the air as Miroku shielded his face with one arm against the torrent.

"This youkai is indeed clever," he muttered, "but now has shown an opening!" The houshi dashed forward into the rapidly dispersing dust cloud, his shakujou held high.

-**THUD**-

Miroku was thrown backwards as Hiraikotsu hit him full in the chest. He lay stunned, able only to watch as Kubousu closed up the hole in his flesh from where he had expelled the boomerang and lifted his boulders back into the air, one by one. "Human's weapon… is my weapon! Shikon shard… also!"

The rest of the taijiya moved in to cover their leader as Sango and Kohaku helped Miroku retreat to safety. The villagers crowded around them, some seeming on the verge of panic.

"Chichiue, are you okay?" Kohaku asked.

Sango checked his injury, her face grieved with worry. "You have several broken ribs… but the bleeding isn't too severe. The mud must have blunted Hiraikotsu's edge."

"Really… that's good…" Miroku grunted in pain.

"Don't talk. Just wait here and rest, or you'll make your injuries worse." Sango shooed the worried villagers away, clearing a space for Miroku to lie down. One elderly village woman brought forth herbs, bandages, and hot water to treat Miroku's wound.

"But this is bad… if none of us can beat him with the weapons we have now, we'll have to retreat back to the complex," Kohaku said, gritting his teeth. "That will put all the villagers at risk."

"If only Minazuke were here…" said Sango.

Back within the crowd of villagers, Suyo cursed under his breath. "Damn, this looks bad, after all. I guess I don't have a choice…" he held the fang in his fist and closed his eyes, searching for that spark of supernatural vitality…

_Inhuman fiend!_

Suyo's eyes shot open. "Damn it…" he whispered harshly. His fist clenched tightly until the fang cut into his palm, drawing blood.

A sudden, strangled cry for help seized everyone's attention. Kubousu roared in triumph as he held the youngest of the taijiya aloft by the neck. Struggling to free himself with one hand and flailing uselessly with his gaff in the other, the young boy fought desperately for breath.

Kohaku rejoined the remaining taijiya as they fought desperately to rescue their comrade, but Kubousu blocked their every attempt, guiding his boulders with one hand and squeezing the life out of the boy with the other.

"Bastard, let him go!" Kohaku yelled in between swings of his axe.

"Bring… shikon shard… or he dies!" Kubousu responded as he knocked Kohaku to the ground with a flying stone.

Kohaku moved to get up again, but Sango ran up and seized his arm to stop him. "Everyone yield, right now! We'll do what he says, so-"

"Keisuke-niichan!" A little girl ran out from the crowd towards the battle, straight towards Kubousu. Suyo recognized her right away as Tsukiko, the orphan from the taijiya village. "Let my brother go!" she yelled, oblivious to the danger.

"Tsukiko, what are you doing? Get away from there!" Sango shouted.

"Away… brat!" Kubousu snarled as he raised a boulder to flatten her in an instant, his massive frame towering above her.

"Run, Tsukiko!" Sango cried, but too late.

-THUD-

The merciless boulder smashed down. A dust cloud rose from the impact

shrouding the carnage. Sango shrank back in horror. The villagers that had a clear view of the battle turned away, too shaken to watch the atrocious killing.

Finally, the dust cloud dispersed, revealing an empty crater at the place where Tsukiko once stood. Kubousu laughed, amused by the grisly scene. "Foolish… girl..."

"Bastard, you'll pay for that!"

A flash of silver and black sliced through Kubousu's left arm. Kubousu roared in  
pain and surprise, clawing at the bloody stump. Keisuke fell to the ground, unconscious, but coughing weakly. Suyo landed next to him, threw the boy over his shoulder, and then leapt away to where Tsukiko was waiting. Scooping her up with his free arm, he bounded the two of them them over to where Miroku lay.

"Wow, oniisan! You're a youkai, too!" Tsukiko cheered. Sango and Kohaku ran up to meet him, as Kubousu was seemingly incapacitated by his wound.

"Suyo, you came!"

"We need your help, Suyo. This youkai is after-

"I'll kill him." Suyo cut them off, his voice teeming with rage.

"By all means… just don't get yourself killed." Miroku said with a grunt as his caretaker prepared a space next to him for the new casualties.

The villagers, however, weren't quite as happy to see the newcomer.

"Hey, who the hell is that guy?"

"He looks like a youkai! Another youkai!"

"Is he here to attack us too?"

Suyo's eyebrow twitched. "Grr... you idiots! I'm here to help, can't you see that!" Suyo yelled back, his eyes flashing.

Just then, Keisuke came to his senses. Suyo, shouting angrily in front of him, was the first thing he saw.

"Wha… a youkai! Get away, youkai! You monster!" Keisuke scuffled backwards in terror, away from him.

_Monster! _

Suyo gasped in shock. His previous rage forgotten, he backed away from the smaller boy, almost losing his balance.

"Keisuke!" Sango reprimanded the young taijiya. "He just saved your life!" She  
turned to Suyo. "I apologize for him, Suyo, please don't take it personally…"

Suyo couldn't hear her. He stared at the ground, his silver bangs shrouding his  
eyes, his fists clenched, his breath coming in fierce gasps.

"Uh… Suyo? Are you okay? Pull yourself together." Kohaku's voice sounded  
far away.

_Monster! _

_Cursed monster! _

_You had to run off through that well, didn't you? _

…_to break my heart all over again… _

"DAMN IT!" Suyo howled, startling everyone around him. He turned and glared at Kubousu, who was still cradling his bloody stump of an arm. Suyo charged  
headlong at him, snarling like a wounded wolf. "This is… this is… YOUR FAULT!"  
he screamed as he bared his claws.

The surprised taijiya could only stand and watch Suyo's reckless charge. Kubousu managed to recuperate enough to defend himself, using his remaining arm to call up his boulders. One flew at head height, but Suyo merely ducked under it without breaking stride. The next came at his feet, and Suyo jumped clear over it. Claws at the ready, his mighty leap was carrying him straight towards Kubousu's head.

Too late, Suyo realized that he couldn't dodge when he was in the air. Kubousu's last boulder hit Suyo in the stomach, knocking him down like he was swatting a fly.

"Youkai… fast… but naive!"

"Bastard… I'm not finished with you yet!" Suyo slowly got to his feet, ignoring the jolts of pain lancing through his body. Growling, he charged again.

"Your will… is weak!" Kubousu knocked him down again unmercifully.

"Dammit…" Suyo's limbs shook as he struggled to rise again. Kubousu slithered closer calling up one last boulder to finish him off.

Suddenly, Kubousu reared up, roaring ferociously and flailing about. The boulders around him bobbed up and down, as though the earth elemental youkai's control over them was weakening.

More importantly for Suyo, the two of them were suddenly submerged waist-deep in a river.

"What… the… FUCK…?" Suyo muttered as he spat out a mouthful of cold water, the swift current pushing at his back.

Suyo, it's okay! It's just my illusion! A voice echoed in Suyo's mind. 

"This voice… Shippou!"

I'm distracting him, now's your chance! Pounce, Suyo! 

"Bastard… don't tell me what to do!" Suyo snarled, getting to his feet. He limped slowly towards Kubousu, but the towering youkai backed away immediately.

"Stop… get away!" he screamed in panic. Never taking his eyes off of Suyo, he drew up all his boulders to form a wall to keep the boy away.

"He said he'd distract him, but he's still got no openings!" Suyo said, frustrated.

"Oh, he's got openings, all right." Shippou replied, his voice cold as steel.

Shippou was perched on Kubousu's base of flesh, a glowing, blue dagger drawn in each hand. "And now, he's going to have a few more." In one swift movement, Shippou stabbed one dagger in Kubousu's back, the other in the side of his neck. The blades cut so deeply that the points extended out the opposite ends of Kubousu's body, their lengths extended by blue flame. Ignoring Kubousu's roar of pain, Shippou grunted with concentration. The flames flared out, growing longer and wider. Then, Shippou pulled both blades out, cleanly severing Kubousu's head and cutting a wide gash in his torso.

Kubousu's death cry was muffled by the cacophony of all his boulders crashing down to the now-dry earth, the power over them dispelled. Shippou jumped clear of Kubousu's body as it began to lose its form, the blob-like flesh melting and spreading along the ground. The wounds oozed mud and blood.

"Hey, you okay?" Shippou came up, offering a hand to help Suyo.

Suyo knocked the hand away, saying nothing as he turned to limp by himself over to Miroku and the taijiya. He managed three steps before his legs gave out and darkness overtook him.

----

OMAKE! OMAKE! OMAKE! OMAKE!

"Kohaku! Kore wa ano youkai desu ka?" Miroku called out.

"Aa, sou da yo. Machi ni itta mai ni yamimashita kedo, tsuyokusugiru. Sono tsuchi wa heiki to bogyou da; kirarenai!" Kohaku wiped sweat from his face with the back of his hand, panting with exertion.

"Kore wa taihen… watashitachi wa kono youkai o tatekau no shuuren o zenzen shimanakatta," Sango said, worried.

"Kore wa henna desu … tsuchi no youkai wa yama no tooi ni nani o shimasu kana?" Miroku wrinkled his forehead, puzzled.

"Korosu no atto de hanasaru yo. Kohaku, kono murabito ga shinite ni bundoru no mai ni nigeru no ni meijite."

Just then, the youkai took notice of the impromptu council of war, and advanced upon the trio. "Houshi… onna no taijiya… Shikon no Kakera… omae ga aru!"

The three stared at him, the taijiya squad stopped in their tracks, and even the unruly mob of villagers quieted to hear the youkai speak.

"Dashite… Shikon no Kakera… kono Kubousu ni!" it declared.

"Shikon no Kakera?" Kohaku echoed. "Shikon no Kakera o sagashiteru?"

"De wa," Miroku answered grimly, "hajimete Shikon no Kakera no chikara o sagasu no youkai ga imasen kedo, kuru mai ni bokutachi o wakaru no youkai ga hajimete desu yo." He grinned weakly. "Bokutachi wa nadakai ni nariteiru deshou, Sango."

"Sou… nadakakusugiru." Sango answered, as she gripped Hiraikotsu's handle tightly. She then stepped away from the others, facing Kubousu down. "Watashi ni kiite, youkai. Watashitachi wa ningen o korosu no youkai dake o kiru. Ima itte, soshite watashitachi wa yurusu. Mou ichido o iwanai yo."

"Ningen… bakaga! Shikon no Kakera … ore no!" Kubousu advanced, slithering towards the taijiya matriarch.

"Ii kara." Sango leapt easily into the air, swinging her massive boomerang around her. "Hiraikotsu!" she yelled as she let it fly, sending it straight at the youkai below.

Kubousu roared aloud and beckoned two boulders into the boomerang's path, but the deadly weapon cleaved through the rock easily. Hiraikotsu bounced off the ground an inch in front of the earth youkai's base before it flew back into the air, and finally swooped in a wide arc to return to its mistress' hand.

As the villagers gasped in amazement and the taijiya cheered for their leader, Suyo couldn't help but feel astounded at how different this Sango was from the one who had been uneasy to even talk to him, when all he'd done was yell and shout a little. _Kanojo wa youkai taijiya o suki darou… soshite… kono sakuseisha no nihongo wa amari jyouzujyanai yo… demo… dare ka kore o yomaru ka? _he thought.

----

Author's Notes: Update after 5 months…

This is why I avoid using every Japanese word I know. Not only would most English speakers be unable to read it, but my grammar is so full of errors that probably most Japanese speakers wouldn't be able to read it either. shrug

I imagine this is what it must be like to have a nervous breakdown caused by trauma. Don't take my hypotheses as truth, though.

First serious battle scene. Not too unnatural, I hope. Note the Naruto influences.

Miroku and Sango are getting on in years… approaching the "age of unyouth."

What is Shippou up to? Hmm…

Kohaku is interesting too. He acts very differently in battle versus during everyday conversation.

Update to the Japanese Dictionary entry on "Kitsune," will perhaps answer some possible questions for those who are confused.

----

Japanese Dictionary:

Chichiue – Archaic, respectful term for one's father.

Genjutsu – Magical illusionary hypnotism, or illusion magic. Foxes of Shinto mythology were tricksters, and are depicted in the world of Inuyasha to have magical powers to aid them with such.

Houshi – (Buddhist Monk) A male spiritual fighter, based on monks of the Buddhist religion. In the world of Inuyasha, Houshi use their spiritual powers to protect villagers from hostile youkai. There is little distinction between the spiritual powers of Buddhists and Shintoists.

Kitsune – Fox. See Genjutsu. According to legend, they grow a new tail every 100 years, gaining new powers and wisdom, including shapeshifting, telepathy, and illusion. At 1000 years of age, a kitsune earns its 9th tail, turns white, and becomes immortal.

-niisan/Niisan – A familiar naming suffix or pronoun, used to refer to an elder brother.

Ofuda – Rectangular paper charms enchanted with spiritual energy, used to combat or ward off youkai.

Oniisan – A respectable term for "older brother." Not always to be taken literally.

Seibai – (Judgment/Repent!) Miroku's spiritual spell that channels his spiritual energy through ofuda to purify youki or youkai.

Shakujou – A houshi's staff. It has loose, jingling, metal rings on one end to announce the houshi's arrival.

Shikon no Tama – (Shikon Jewel) – "Jewel of Four Souls." A jewel created by a long-forgotten battle between miko and youkai, which grants power to both youkai and humans that use it.

Taijiya – (Demon Slayer/Exterminator), A fighter trained to hunt youkai as a trade, often hired by defenseless villages in need of protection. The Taijiya use the bones and hides of youkai they slay to craft the durable weapons and armor they need to carry out their trade.

Youkai – A youkai is a mythological spirit, often embodying natural concepts like animals, elements, or human emotions. Contrary to English translation convention, they are not demons, as they have no relation to the concept of heaven or hell.

Youki – A youkai's spiritual energy.


End file.
